Giant Skull and Brain Metastasis from a Neglected Thyroid Papillary Carcinoma

Abstract

This 50-year-old woman presented with headaches, torticollis and a large craniocervical mass which had grown rapidly over the previous four months. She had also a thyroid tumefaction neglected for more than 20 years. Physical examination showed normal vital signs, without neurological deficits. It was an evident bilateral exophtalmia with anterior cervical painful mass originating from both lobes of the thyroid gland. The scalp mass (24 × 12 × 20 cm) was noted on the right temporoparietooccipital region with laterocervical extension (Figure 1). This enlarged tumefaction was not tender, and showed an elastic, firm consistency with immobility. She had no hepatosplenomegaly and other lymphadenopathy. Thyroid function tests showed hyperthyroidism. Cranial computed tomography scan revealed a

Neglected Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Seven Years after Initial Diagnosis

“…After a thorough search of the English literature, only few other cases of a neglected papillary thyroid carcinoma with the enormous dimensions observed in this case have been reported to the best of our knowledge [12, 13]. There are also two articles regarding distant metastases from a neglected thyroid papillary carcinoma [14, 15]. …”

“…Mostarchid et al reported a case of giant skull and brain metastasis from a neglected thyroid papillary carcinoma [14], while Pavlidis et al investigated the occurrence of subcutaneous scalp metastases [15]. …”