Korean J Endocr Surg.  2007 Sep;7(3):168-172. 10.16956/kjes.2007.7.3.168.

Axillary Nodal Metastasis from Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma: A Case Report

• Lee YS
• Jeong JJ
• Yun JS
• Nam KH
• Chang HS
• Chung WY
• Park CS

• KMID: 2375885
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.16956/kjes.2007.7.3.168

Abstract

Although breast carcinoma has a predilection for metastasis to auxiliarylymph nodes, auxiliary nodal metastasis from papillary thyroid carcinoma is extremely rare, and to our knowledge, only 6 cases have been reported worldwide. Here, we report an extremely rare case of auxiliary lymph node metastasis from papillary thyroid carcinoma. A 41-year-old woman presented with palpable masses in her left axilla. Fourteen years previously, she had presented with a 3.0-cm sized mass in the left supraclavicular fossa, which was found to be metastatic papillary thyroid. At that time, she underwent a total thyroidectomy along with a left modified radical neck dissection. Histopathologic examination at that time revealed the presence two papillary microcarcinoma of the thyroid and multiple metastatic nodes in the left lateral neck (5 of 32, T1N1bM0). Following her recent presentation, imaging studies, including magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography, revealed the presence of a small metastatic focus in the left upper lung and multiple metastatic nodes in the left auxiliaryregion. She underwent a wedge resection of the lung mass and a left radical auxiliarylymph node dissection. Histopathologic findings confirmed that both lesions were metastatic poorly differentiated papillary thyroid carcinomas.

Keyword

Papillary thyroid carcinoma; Axillary lymph node; Metastasis

MeSH Terms

Adult
Axilla
Breast Neoplasms
Female
Humans
Lung
Lymph Nodes
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Neck
Neck Dissection
Neoplasm Metastasis*
Positron-Emission Tomography
Thyroid Gland*
Thyroid Neoplasms*
Thyroidectomy