Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Thyroglossal Duct Cyst

Abstract

BACKGROUNDIncomplete atrophy of thyroglossal tract or retained epithelial cysts, creates the basis for the origin of a thyroglossal duct cyst. Thyroglossal duct cysts are the most common anomaly in thyroid development that occurs in 7% of adult population. In general duct cysts are benign and the incidence of a carcinoma in a thyroglossal duct cyst is very rare, the incidence of which is 1% of a ll cysts. The vast majority of these are papillary carcinoma (82%), other types of malignancies occurring being mixed papillary and follicular carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, follicular carcinoma and anaplastic carcinoma in descending order of frequency. Review of literature has revealed 25 reported cases of squamous cell carcinoma of the thyroglossal duct cyst till date. [1]