Int J Thyroid Res | Volume 1, Issue 1 | Case Report | Open Access

Carcinoma of the Thyroglossal Duct Cyst: A Case Report with Commentary

Mihail A. Boyanov^1*, Dimitar A. Tabakov², Radina S. Ivanova² and Kalin N. Vidinov³

¹Clinic of Endocrinology, Metabolism, University Hospital Alexandrovska, Bulgaria
²Clinic of Endocrine Surgery, Clinical Center of Endocrinology and Gerontology, Medical University of Sofia, Bulgaria
³Laboratory of Clinical Pathology, Clinical Center of Endocrinology and Gerontology, Medical University of Sofia, Bulgaria

^*Correspondance to: Mihail A. Boyanov 

Fulltext PDF

Abstract

The incidence of Thyroglossal Duct Cyst Carcinoma (TGDCC) is very low usually being discovered incidentally after surgical cyst removal. We describe a case of a 17-year old girl with a midline neck cyst interpreted as a Thyroglossal Duct Cyst (TGDC). After the ultrasound examination the patient was directly referred for surgery. The histology revealed the presence of a papillary carcinoma within the cystic wall. The patient was classified as being low-risk for recurrent disease and no further surgical procedures were offered. One year after the operation the thyroid gland appeared normal with no suspicious lymph nodes present. We discuss the role of pre-operative fine-needle aspiration biopsy and ancillary imaging modalities (computed tomography etc.). The risk/benefit ratio of radical approaches such as total thyroidectomy with or without radioiodine ablation is also discussed. In conclusion, harmless thyroid pathology may harbor neoplastic foci, which highlights the role of extended pre-operative assessment.

Keywords:

Thyroglossal duct cyst; Papillary carcinoma; Histology

Citation:

Boyanov MA, Tabakov DA, Ivanova RS, Vidinov KN. Carcinoma of the Thyroglossal Duct Cyst: A Case Report with Commentary. Int J Thyroid Res. 2018; 1(1): 1002.