Report on a case of functioning thyroid carcinoma provoking thyrotoxicosis with review of literature

A 57-year old woman with thyroid carcinoma manifesting overt thyrotoxicosis is presented. After the patient had been made euthyroid with propylthiouracil, right lobectomy and lymph node dissection were performed. Permanent paraffin sections revealed follicular adenocarcinoma with capsular and vascular invasion. Metastases to the right humerus, both femurs, the skull and pleural cavity became prominent with the recurrence of thyrotoxicosis and the patient died 2 years and 3 months after operation. The clinical evidence indicates that thyrotoxicosis in the present case is caused by the excessive secretion of thyroid hormone by both the original carcinoma and the secondary deposits. Twenty three similar cases reported in the English and Japanese literatures are summarized.