Case Report: A case of metastasis to branchial cleft cyst from papillary thyroid cancer

Abstract

Branchial cleft cysts are frequently encountered congenital anomalies, arising from the first to fourth pharyngeal clefts and second branchial cleft anomalies are the most common. These anomalies, even though present from birth, become symptomatic only later in life. Majority of them are benign in nature. However, these cysts can get secondarily infected or can harbour secondary metastases and sometimes even primary malignancy in very rare cases. Here we discuss a case of a middle-aged female presenting with a gradually increasing branchial cleft cyst with incidental thyroid lesion on ultrasonography, later proven to be papillary thyroid carcinoma with metastatic spread to the brachial cleft cyst.