Erythrocytosis associated with thyroid tumor

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Hematology
• Oncology

Background:

• Erythrocytosis is characterized by elevated red blood cell counts.
• Polycythemia vera and secondary causes are common, but this patient presented with unexplained erythrocytosis.
• Initial management with phlebotomy provided only temporary hematologic normalization.

Observation:

• A patient with unexplained erythrocytosis was diagnosed with a cold thyroid nodule.
• Histologic evaluation revealed a 2 cm papillary thyroid carcinoma.
• The patient underwent surgical removal of the thyroid tumor.

Findings:

• Following thyroidectomy, the patient achieved hematologic remission.
• This remission has been sustained for 15 months post-surgery.
• This represents the first reported instance of erythrocytosis associated with a thyroid tumor.

Implications:

• The findings suggest a potential paraneoplastic association between thyroid papillary carcinoma and erythrocytosis.
• Further research is warranted to elucidate the mechanism linking thyroid tumors to erythrocytosis.
• This case highlights the importance of thorough investigation for underlying causes in patients with unexplained erythrocytosis.