.

ISSN 2063-5346
For urgent queries please contact : +918130348310

A RARE CASE OF PAPILLARY THYROID CARCINOMA (PTC) ARISING FROM THYROGLOSSAL DUCT CYST

Main Article Content

Dr. Samal Madhusmita, Dr. Eswari.V, Dr. Shanmugapriya.M, Dr. Archana.S
ยป doi: 10.31838/ecb/2023.12.s2.216

Abstract

Thyroid gland is the first endocrine organ to develop during intrauterine life (3rd to 4th week of gestation). Ectopic thyroid is a rare developmental defect involving the aberrant embryogenesis of the thyroid gland during it's migration from the floor of the primitive foregut to it's final pretracheal location. Ectopic thyroid tissue can be found in many sites, the most common being the base of the tongue (lingual thyroid) but it can also be found anywhere along it's embryonic course - the thyroglossal tract. Other less common sites include trachea, palatine tonsils, carotid bifurcation, iris of the eye, pituitary gland, axilla, heart and ascending aorta, thymus, esophagus, duodenum, gall bladder, stomach bed, pancreas, mesentery, porta hepatis, adrenal gland, ovary, fallopian tube, uterus, and vagina. It's prevalence is about 1 per 100000โ€“300000 people. However postmortem studies have shown a prevalence ranging between 7 to 10%. One in three infants who present with hypothyroidism have ectopic thyroid tissue. And it is most commonly seen in females, especially of Asian descent. Conventionally, the etiology of ectopic thyroid has been considered to be multifactorial. However, recent genetic studies have indicated that mutations in the genes TITF-1(Nkx2-1), Foxe1(TITF-2) or PAX-8 may be etiologic. Majority of the cases are asymptomatic and some present as hypothyroidism. But rarely, some cases of ectopic thyroid may turn malignant with or without the involvement of the primary orthotopic thyroid gland leading to diagnostic and therapeutic dilemmas. We report one such rare case of papillary carcinoma arising from the ectopic thyroid located in the thyroglossal duct in a 21 year old Indian female with a normal orthotopic thyroid gland. Anatomically and functionally normal orthotopic thyroid does not exclude the possibility of pathologic changes in the ectopic thyroid tissue as is seen in this case. Though rare, the possibility of an ectopic thyroid carcinoma must always be considered in cases of cystic midline neck swellings.

Article Details