An atypical metastatic pathway: Bilateral inguinal lymphadenopathy as the initial presentation of papillary thyroid carcinoma

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is known to primarily manifest as a thyroid nodule with regional lymph node metastasis. Distant metastasis in PTC is rare, making its diagnosis challenging when presenting atypically.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 47-year-old Sudanese female was evaluated for bilateral inguinal lymphadenopathy and significant weight loss. Extensive diagnostic efforts, including abdominal imaging and thyroid function tests, showed no abnormalities and no palpable thyroid nodules. However, a biopsy of the inguinal lymph nodes (ILNs) revealed psammoma bodies, confirming PTC. Further evaluation detected a 1 cm thyroid nodule.

CLINICAL DISCUSSION

This case highlights the unusual presentation of PTC with distant metastasis to the ILNs without the typical presence of a thyroid nodule or cervical lymphadenopathy. The discovery underscores the importance of considering PTC in differential diagnoses for unexplained inguinal lymphadenopathy, emphasizing the need for thorough evaluation in atypical presentations.

CONCLUSION

The rarity of inguinal lymphadenopathy as an initial presentation of PTC demonstrates significant diagnostic challenges. This case emphasizes the necessity of including PTC in the differential diagnosis for inguinal lymphadenopathy, advocating for comprehensive diagnostic strategies to manage and improve outcomes in such atypical cases. The patient's refusal of surgery and subsequent loss to follow-up culminating in undocumented death further complicate management in such rare presentations.

Tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment and long-term follow-up for metastatic malignant struma ovarii

Metastatic malignant struma ovarii (MMSO) is a very rare disease (in the United States, less than one case in 10 million females annually). However, this incidence rate is due to a paucity of data regarding diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up. Herein, we describe the case of a 14-year-old female who presented with MMSO, which later metastasized and was followed up on for over 10 years. The patient underwent right oophorectomy surgery and was then treated with a combination of radioactive iodine followed by iodine scans to detect the absorption of radioiodine in the metastatic sites, and radiation therapy to treat skeletal lesions. She subsequently received treatment with the tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), sorafenib and then lenvatinib, as treatments for advanced disease, thereby achieving long-term disease stability. This case report, which adds to the limited data available on MMSO treatment, suggests that patients treated with a combination of radioactive iodine, radiation therapy, and TKIs can result in good responses and long-term overall survival.

Malignant struma ovarii: From case to analysis

AIM

To evaluate the clinico-pathologic features, treatment options, prognostic factors, and survival outcomes of malignant struma ovarii based on a systematic literature review in association with our case study.

METHODS

A systematic review of the medical literature was performed to identify articles about malignant struma ovarii from January 1983 until July 2020. We evaluated 178 cases.

RESULTS

The 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of the entire cohort was 72.5% and 91%, respectively. In univariate analysis, younger age (<43 years), whole strumal cyst diameter >95 mm, presence of a histologic type other than papillary classic-type thyroid carcinoma within the tumor and lymphovascular space invasion were related to poor PFS. Patients who received radioactive iodine ablation (RIA) before the treatment failure had significantly higher PFS than those who did not receive RIA (94.9% vs. 64.8%, p = 0.041, respectively). In univariate analysis, PFS was significantly higher in patients who underwent gynecologic surgery followed by thyroidectomy and RIA compared with those who had surgical treatment only (94.5% vs. 64.3%, p = 0.05, respectively). However, this result could not be identified as an independent prognostic factor in multivariate analysis (p = 0.207). Younger age and absence of capsular involvement were related to significantly increased OS. Histologic type was the only independent prognostic factor for PFS (hazard ratio: 3.30, 95% confidence interval: 1.122-9.748; p = 0.030) CONCLUSION: The most common histologic subtype was the papillary classic type. The presence of a histologic type other than the classic papillary thyroid carcinoma within the tumor was an independent adverse prognostic factor.

Isolated Scapular Metastasis in a Patient with Malignant Struma Ovarii: A Case Report

CASE

We report the case of a 38-year-old woman who presented with a lytic bone lesion in the left scapula. A biopsy showed a tumor with the histologic appearance of thyroid tissue. She also was found to have a thyroid nodule and an enlarged ovary, both of which were excised. The thyroid nodule turned out to be a benign colloid nodule, and the ovary contained a monodermal teratoma composed of thyroid tissue (struma ovarii). The lesion in the scapula eventually was proven to be metastatic malignant struma ovarii.

CONCLUSION

Malignant struma ovarii with bone metastases is very rare, and its diagnosis is a challenge. There are some documented cases with bone metastases, mostly to the thoracic and lumbar spine. The optimal treatment of choice for the bone lesion is unknown because of the rarity of its presentation.

Spinal metastasis from struma ovarii: case report and review of the literature

Struma ovarii is a rare tumor that is defined as an ovarian teratoma with a thyroid tissue component exceeding 50%. Most of these tumors are benign, with malignant struma ovarii occurring in <1% of patients. Here, we describe the case of a 49-year-old female patient with malignant struma ovarii who developed thoracic spine metastasis. She had undergone an oophorectomy and was diagnosed with struma ovarii 10 years previously. She had remained recurrence-free thereafter. At 49 years of age, she developed low back pain and was admitted to our hospital for evaluation of a spinal tumor at the Th7 level. An emergency bone biopsy led to a diagnosis of metastasis from malignant struma ovarii. External beam radiotherapy inhibited further tumor growth and there was no resulting muscle weakness. This is the first report of spinal metastasis occurring 10 years after resection of struma ovarii, indicating the need for long-term follow-up.

Long-term survival in metastatic malignant struma ovarii treated with oral chemotherapy: A case report

Malignant struma ovarii is a rare type of ovarian tumor. Metastasis from malignant struma ovarii is rare and has only been documented in 5–6% of cases. The natural history and optimal treatment strategy for malignant struma ovarii remains controversial due to its rarity. The current report presents the case of a 45-year-old female who presented with a tumor of the rib bone. Following resection, the postoperative diagnosis was a metastasizing thyroid carcinoma. No abnormality was detected in the thyroid gland, however, computed tomography revealed a tumor in the left ovary. The patient underwent a left salpingo-oophorectomy and a wedge resection of the right ovary. The postoperative diagnosis was determined as a mature cystic teratoma with malignant struma ovarii (thyroid type, follicular carcinoma) of the left ovary and mature cystic teratoma of the right ovary. Four years subsequent to the initial diagnosis, multiple lung metastases were detected. The following chemotherapies were administered sequentially and intermittently: Tegafur-uracil, paclitaxel/carboplatin and oral etoposide. During this period, the metastatic lesions extended into the bone and progressed slowly. The patient continues to survive with the disease and 24 years have passed since the initial diagnosis, 20 years following the diagnosis of multiple lung metastates. The present report describes a rare case of malignant struma ovarii in which surgical resection and pathological examination of a metastatic rib tumor resulted in the identification of the primary ovarian lesion. The clinical behavior of malignant struma ovarii does not necessarily indicate a histological malignancy, therefore, prediction of future metastasis is difficult and the optimal treatment strategy for malignant struma ovarii is controversial. The present case indicates that the long-term use of oral anticancer agents may facilitate the maintenance of tumor dormancy.

Usefulness of (131)I-SPECT/CT and (18)F-FDG PET/CT in Evaluating Successful (131)I and Retinoic Acid Combined Therapy in a Patient with Metastatic Struma Ovarii

Metastatic struma ovarii is an extremely rare disease, and the treatment of choice has not been established. Here, we introduce the case of a 36-year-old female pregnant patient with metastatic struma ovarii. Initial treatment was an exploratory laparotomy to remove multiple peritoneal masses. After delivery, a total thyroidectomy was done for the further (131)I-therapy. (131)I-SPECT/CT and (18) F-FDG PET/CT showed multiple hepatic metastases and extensive peritoneal seeding nodules. Multiple (131)I and retinoic acid combination therapies were performed, resulting in marked improvement. (131)I-SPECT/CT and (18) F-FDG PET/CT were quite useful for evaluating the biologic characteristics of the metastases.

Conservative treatment of a young patient with thyroid carcinoma in adult ovarian teratoma - case report

The cystic mature teratomas, including dermoid cysts, are one of the most frequently occurring benign ovarian tumors diagnosed in female patients. The process of neoplastic transformation in mature dermoid cysts is applicable only to 1-2% of cases. In our article, we present a rare case of thyroid carcinoma development in adult teratoma in 21-year-old patient. The young age, certain pathomorphological features and clinical data (small size of neoplastic lesion, correct values of tumour markers, unilateral character, regular levels of thyreoglobulin and absence of any significant deviations in imaging examinations), were the basis for attempting to apply the conservative treatment both in the scope of gynecological surgery and in the supplemental endocrinological therapy. In the patient, the one-sided adnexectomy was performed, considering pathological lesions on the adnexa, as well as the other ovary dermoid cyst was enucleated, without the hysteroctomy procedure. Considering the lack of any morphological lesions and functional changes relating to thyroid gland, the treatment was not radicalised in this scope, either. At present, one year after the primary operation treatment, the patient does not manifest any disease symptoms, whereas the other ovary, in the follow-up ultrasound examinations, shows normal size and echostructure. The thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) suppression keeps being applied.

Synchronous papillary carcinoma thyroid with malignant struma ovarii: A management dilemma

Struma ovarii (SO) is a rare form of ovarian tumor, which is defined by the presence of thyroid tissue comprising more than 50% of the overall tumor volume. The vast majority of the variants of SO are benign; however, malignant tumors have been reported in a small percentage of cases. An aggressive multimodality approach using ovarian cancer staging laparotomy, total thyroidectomy along with radioactive iodine-131 ablation, and thyroxin suppression therapy has been shown to safely treat malignant SO both its initial presentation as well as in the event of any subsequent recurrence with excellent efficacy and possibly better oncological outcomes. The rarity of the disease and the lack of evidence surrounding its management and prognosis continue to remain a challenge to the treating clinician. We present a unique case of malignant SO with an incidental synchronous association of follicular variant of papillary carcinoma of the cervical thyroid gland, this is possibly the second case reported in the English language literature.