Metastasis of follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma masquerading as primary temporal bone tumour

Metastatic Disease of the Temporal Bone: A Contemporary Review

OBJECTIVES

To identify the frequency and primary site of metastatic pathologies to the temporal bone and characterize the associated symptomatology.

METHODS

The MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science databases were systematically reviewed according to the PRISMA guidelines to identify all cases of pathologically confirmed distant temporal bone metastases published with English translation until October 2019. Descriptive statistics were performed.

RESULTS

Out of 576 full-length articles included for review, 109 met final criteria for data extraction providing 255 individual cases of distant temporal bone metastases. There was a male predominance (54.9%) with median age of 59.0 years (range 2-90). The most common locations of primary malignancy included the breasts (19.6%), lungs (16.1%), and prostate (8.6%). Most tumors were carcinomas of epithelial origin (75.3%) and predominantly adenocarcinoma (49.4%). The commonest metastatic sites encountered within the temporal bone were the petrous (72.0%) and mastoid (49.0%) portions. Bilateral temporal bone metastases occurred in 39.8% of patients. Patients were asymptomatic in 32.0% of cases. Symptomatic patients primarily reported hearing loss (44.3%), facial palsy (31.2%), and otalgia (16.6%) for a median duration of 1 month. Petrous lesions were associated with asymptomatic cases (P = .001) while mastoid lesions more often exhibited facial palsy (P = .026), otalgia (P < .001), and otorrhea (P < .001). Non-carcinomatous tumors were associated with petrosal metastasis (P = .025) and asymptomatic cases (P = .109). Carcinomatous metastases more often presented with otalgia (P = .003).

CONCLUSIONS

Temporal bone metastasis is uncommon but should be considered in patients with subacute otologic symptoms or facial palsy and history of distant malignancy. Laryngoscope, 131:1101-1109, 2021.

Metastatic thyroid carcinoma presented as a large craniofacial mass: Case report and CT findings

Cranial metastases are uncommon locations of thyroid papillary carcinoma. They significantly reduce patients’ survival, especially in a context of late management. We report the case of a 46-year-old woman who presented an anterior cervical swelling, then a progressive large craniofacial mass for more than 5 years without any treatment. The imaging performed showed a large craniofacial tissue mass with frontotemporal and right orbital bone destruction extended to the face sinuses and the underlying extradural space without brain involvement; the second thyroid tumor right site had similar imaging characteristics to the cranial mass. The diagnosis of papillary carcinoma with craniofacial metastasis was retained after cranial biopsy and thyroid cytology. At this stage, a cranial surgery has not been proposed but a palliative hormonal treatment. The patient died 2 weeks after diagnosis. This case illustrates the relevant role of imaging in the assessment of thyroid tumors and the value of early management for improving patients’ survival.

Skull Metastasis Extending to the Superior Sagittal Sinus: An Unfamiliar Presentation of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine cancer in the world, with a rising global incidence over the last three decades. Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is the most common type of thyroid neoplasia, accounting for 74%-80% of all cases. Skull metastasis from a differentiated thyroid malignancy is a rare occurrence, while a subsequent dural involvement is even more inimitable. As such, a clinician requires a high degree of clinical suspicion and resultant radiographic evidence in order to make the diagnosis. Here we present the case of a 54-year-old male patient who presented with a pathological fracture of his right humerus, a midline frontal bone swelling and an asymptomatic neck mass. Further workup revealed follicular variant papillary thyroid carcinoma (FV-PTC) with distant metastasis to the calvarium. The conventional therapy for metastatic PTC includes a total thyroidectomy, removal of resectable metastatic lesions and a supplementation with radioactive iodine (RAI) and/or external beam radiation at the sites of the metastases. This case and our literature review illustrate that skull metastases should be considered in the clinical course of PTC so that appropriate management can be started.

Metastatic Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Presenting as Abducens Palsy Complicated by Ocular Neuromyotonia

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is a type of well-differentiated thyroid cancer that accounts for the majority of thyroid malignancies. The prognosis of PTC is very good and distant metastases are rare, especially to the skull base. The authors report the case of a 47-year-old woman with biopsy-proven PTC treated with surgery and radiation therapy who presented with headache and diplopia after 5 years and was found to have clivus and cavernous sinus metastasis. Following radiation therapy for her skull base and cavernous sinus lesion, she subsequently developed sixth nerve ocular neuromyotonia. Possible causes and treatments are reviewed.

Skull base metastasis from papillary thyroid carcinoma: a report of three cases

Skull base metastasis from differentiated thyroid carcinoma, including papillary and follicular thyroid carcinoma, is a rare manifestation. Herein, we present three cases of skull base metastasis of papillary thyroid carcinoma. The mean age of the patients was 68.6 (65–74) years, and the mean interval between initial diagnosis and skull base metastasis was 56.3 (28–89) months. Cranial nerve palsies were seen in all patients. Intensity modulated radiation therapy to deliver 6,000–6,600 cGy to the skull base metastasis was given to all patients, in addition to partial resection in one patient. At the time of last follow-up, all skull base metastases were well controlled.

Occult papillary thyroid carcinoma metastasis to the sacrum and the skull: an unusual presentation

This case represents occult follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (FVPTC) with large metastasis to the sacrum. The patient, a 42-year-old female, presented after hemithyroidectomy for benign follicular adenoma with lower back pain associated with fever and sweating. A lytic lesion of the left sacral bone was found on the CT with biopsy showing metastatic carcinoma with morphology and immunophenotype of thyroid gland primary tumor proven to be FVPTC. The patient had completion thyroidectomy with benign pathology.

Yamada S, Miyamoto S, Yamada S, Son JH, Nishido H, Ide F, Nagashima H, Sugaya M, Hirohata T, Mizutani A, Okinaga H, Ishii Y, Tahara S, Teramoto A, Osamura RY, Yamazaki K, Ishida Y. Clinicopathological and molecular histochemical review of skull base metastasis from differentiated thyroid carcinoma

Skull base metastasis from differentiated thyroid carcinoma including follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) and papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is a rare clinical entity. Eighteen FTC cases and 10 PTC cases showing skull base metastasis have been reported. The most common symptom of skull base metastasis from FTC and PTC is cranial nerve dysfunction. Bone destruction and local invasion to the surrounding soft tissues are common on radiological imaging. Skull base metastases can be the initial clinical presentation of FTC and PTC in the presence of silent primary sites. The possibility of skull base metastasis from FTC and PTC should be considered in patients with the clinical symptoms of cranial nerve dysfunction and radiological findings of bone destruction. A variety of genetic alterations in thyroid tumors have been identified to have a fundamental role in their tumorigenesis. Molecular histochemical studies are useful for elucidating the histopathological features of thyroid carcinoma. Recent molecular findings may provide novel molecular-based treatment strategies for thyroid carcinoma.