Cervical lymph node metastasis as the first symptom of combined anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (squamous cell carcinoma) and follicular carcinoma: a case report

• Published in: BMC endocrine disorders Vol. 24; no. 1; pp. 87 - 6
• Main Authors: Li, Jiazhen, Ma, Zhijun, Ma, Deshou, Maimaiti, Yusufu, Jiang, Shuyun, Wang, Xiaowu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 12.06.2024; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Adenocarcinoma, Follicular - pathology; Adenocarcinoma, Follicular - secondary; Aged; Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma; Cancer therapies; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - diagnosis; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - pathology; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - secondary; Care and treatment; Carotid arteries; Case Report; Cervical carcinoma; Chemoradiotherapy; Chemotherapy; Diagnosis; Fatal Outcome; Female; Follicular thyroid carcinoma; Histopathology; Humans; Iodine; Lymph node; Lymph nodes; Lymph Nodes - pathology; Lymphatic Metastasis; Lymphatic system; Malignancy; Medical diagnosis; Metastases; Metastasis; Neck; Neck - pathology; Patients; Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the thyroid; Prognosis; Radiation therapy; Squamous cell carcinoma; Surgery; Thyroid cancer; Thyroid carcinoma; Thyroid Carcinoma, Anaplastic - diagnosis; Thyroid Carcinoma, Anaplastic - pathology; Thyroid Carcinoma, Anaplastic - therapy; Thyroid diseases; Thyroid gland; Thyroid Neoplasms - pathology; Tumors; Ultrasonic imaging; Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the thyroid; Metastasis; Lymph node; Follicular thyroid carcinoma; Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma
• ISSN: 1472-6823; 1472-6823
• DOI: 10.1186/s12902-024-01617-1

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma(ATC) is a rare pathological type of thyroid malignancy. Primary squamous cell carcinoma of thyroid(PSCCT) is now considered as a subtype of ATC, hereinafter referred to as ATC-SCC subtype. ATC-SCC subtype combined with follicular thyroid carcinoma is exceedingly rare, with fewer cases reported. The ATC-SCC subtype is a highly invasive tumor with a poor prognosis for patients after metastasis occurs, and current treatment of this type of tumor is tricky. A 68-year-old female patient presented with a gradually growing swelling of right cervical region. Comprehensive auxiliary examinations and postoperative pathology confirmed the diagnosis of ATC-SCC subtype with follicular thyroid carcinoma, and the metastasis squamous cell carcinoma of the right cervical lymph nodes originates from ATC-SCC subtype. The patient received chemoradiotherapy postoperative. However, the residual cervical lymph nodes metastasis with squamous cell carcinoma still infiltrated surrounding structures in the neck extensively after palliative resection. The patient died 7 months after surgery. Our case highlights that cervical lymph node metastasis may be a significant factor in the poor prognosis of ATC-SCC subtype. This malignancy should be detected and treated early.