Papillary Cancer Arising in Remnant Thyroglossal Duct

Bae, Sung Woo; Kim, Hyung Ho; Kim, Sang Soon

Abstract

Remnant thyroglossal ducts are common developmental abnormalities of the thyroid gland. The malignant transformation of these structures is extremely rare. Even though a malignancy it is highly suspected in elderly patients with midline neck swelling, the diagnosis is seldom made preoperatively. In thyroglossal duct carcinomas, a papillary carcinoma is the most common pathologic finding. The etiology of such tumors is unclear, but a de novo origin and spread from primary thyroid-gland tumors has been suggested. There are different theories regarding the origin of and the therapy for these malignancies. This has important significance for therapeutic approaches. We report a case of a papillary cancer arising in a remnant thyroglossal duct which was managed by Sistrunk's operation and right thyroid lobectomy.