Unilateral Graves' Disease With Ipsilateral Papillary Thyroid Cancer: A Case Report

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Oncology
• Pathology

Background:

• Graves' disease is an autoimmune disorder causing hyperthyroidism, typically affecting both thyroid lobes.
• A significant association exists between Graves' disease and an elevated risk of thyroid malignancy, especially papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).
• Unilateral Graves' disease is exceptionally rare, making its co-occurrence with other thyroid pathologies even more unusual.

Observation:

• This report details an extremely rare case of unilateral Graves' disease.
• The patient presented with ipsilateral papillary thyroid carcinoma occurring simultaneously with the unilateral Graves' disease.
• This presentation is highly atypical, representing the third reported instance globally and the first in Saudi Arabia.

Findings:

• The co-occurrence of unilateral Graves' disease and ipsilateral papillary thyroid carcinoma was confirmed.
• Diagnostic modalities, including imaging and fine needle aspiration (FNA), were crucial for accurate assessment.
• The papillary thyroid carcinoma exhibited aggressive histological features, consistent with known associations in Graves' disease patients.

Implications:

• This case emphasizes the critical importance of comprehensive diagnostic workups for patients with atypical Graves' disease presentations.
• Clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for malignancy, even in rare unilateral thyroid conditions.
• Further research into the pathogenesis and diagnostic challenges of coexisting unilateral Graves' disease and thyroid cancer is warranted.