Primary Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma of the Thyroid: A Case Report

Malignancies in paediatric age group are the second leading cause of death, next only to accidents. The variety of malignancies involving the head and neck region in paediatric age group is bewildering. Rhabdomyosarcoma of thyroid gland is one such entity very rarely seen. We present the case of an adolescent who presented with a neck mass and suffered rapid deterioration. Establishment of final diagnosis was possible only because of a skilfully performed pathological examination which revealed a thyroid gland rhabdomyosarcoma. An alveolar variety of rhabdomyosarcoma presenting in the thyroid gland is extremely rare. To the best of our knowledge, only two cases of the aforementioned are documented as yet. Through this report, we aim at highlighting the possibility of such an occurrence and vigilance on part of the treating surgeon so that timely intervention can be instituted.