Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Three cases of papillary carcinoma and three of adenoma in thyroglossal duct cysts: Clinical-diagnostic comparison with benign thyroglossal duct cysts

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Journal of Endocrinological Investigation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The clinical and diagnostic findings of 3 cases of papillary thyroid carcinoma in thyroglossal duct cyst (TDC) were compared to those of 3 cases of adenoma in TDC and 2 cases of benign TDC. The neck masses of the subjects with benign TDC grew slowly, whereas those of 2 patients with papillary carcinoma and 1 of the patients with adenoma grew rapidly (especially those with carcinoma). On the other hand, one case of carcinoma, and two cases of adenoma in TDC were diagnosed incidentally. Benign TDC had an anechoic pattern at US, whereas the cysts containing carcinoma and adenoma showed the presence of a mural nodule at US. Microcalcifications in the mural mass were present in one patient with carcinoma. The 3 patients with carcinoma in TDC underwent total thyroidectomy. The histology was negative in all 3 patients for thyroid cancer and thyroid nodules. However, in 2 of them it revealed the carcinoma invading the cyst wall and adjacent tissues, 1 of which also exhibited 2 metastatic lymph nodes in the central neck area. The cases reported illustrate the utility of enhancing one’s clinical suspicion of carcinoma in patients bearing TDC, even when incidentally discovered. In particular, rapid growth of the cystic mass, and the presence of a mural nodule on US, especially with calcifications, must raise the physician’s suspicion for a cancer arising in TDC.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Organ G.M., Organ Jr. C.H. Thyroid gland and surgery of the thyroglossal duct: exercise in applied embryology. World J. Surg. 2000, 24: 886–890.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Macchia P.E. Recent advances in understanding the molecular basis of primary congenital hypothyroidism. Mol. Med. Today 2000, 6: 36–42.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Allard R.H. The thyroglossal cyst. Head Neck Surg. 1982, 5: 134–146.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Ellis P., Van Nostrand A.W. The applied anatomy of thyroglossal tract remnants. Laryngoscope 1977, 87: 765–770.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. LiVolsi V.A., Perzin K.H., Savetsky L. Ectopic thyroid (including thyroglossal tissue). Cancer 1974, 34: 1303–1315.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Nussbaum M., Buchwald R.P., Ribner A., Mori K., Litwins J. Anaplastic carcinoma arising from median ectopic thyroid (thyroglossal duct remnant). Cancer 1981, 48: 2724–2728.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Chen F., Sheridan B., Nankervis J. Carcinoma of the thyroglossal duct: case reports and a literature review. Aust. N. Z. J. Surg. 1993, 63: 614–616.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Kum C.K., Goh P., Teh M. Papillary carcinoma arising in a thyroglossal cyst. Aust. N. Z. J. Surg. 1993, 63: 738–740.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Yang Y.J., Haghir S., Wanamaker J.R., Powers C.N. Diagnosis of papillary carcinoma in a thyroglossal duct cyst by fine-needle aspiration biopsy. Arch. Pathol. Lab. Med. 2000, 124: 139–142.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Glastonbury C.M., Davidson H.C., Haller J.R., Harnsberger H.R. The CT and MR imaging features of carcinoma arising in thyroglossal duct remnants. Am. J. Neuroradiol. 2000, 21: 770–774.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Vera-Sempere F., Tur J., Jaen J., Perolada J.M., Morera C. Papillary thyroid carcinoma arising in the wall of a thyroglossal duct cyst. Acta Otorhinolaryngol. Belg. 1998, 52: 49–54.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Jaques D.A., Chambers R.G., Oertel J.E. Thyroglossal duct carcinoma: a rewiev of literature and addition of eight cases. Am. J. Surg. 1970, 120: 439–446.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Wadsworth D.T., Siegel M.J. Thyroglossal duct cysts: variability of sonographic findings. Am. J. Roentgenol. 1994, 163: 1475–1477.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Okstad S., Mair M.B., Sundsfjord J.A., Eide T.J., Nordrum I. Ectopic thyroid tissue in the head and neck. J. Otolaryngol. 1986, 15: 152–155.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Pollice L., Caruso G. Struma cordis. Ectopic thyroid goiter in the right ventricle. Arch. Pathol. Lab. Med. 1986, 110: 452–453.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Ahuja A.T., King A.D., King W., Metreweli C. Thyroglossal duct cysts: sonographic appearances in adults. Am. J. Neuroradiol. 1999, 20: 579–582.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Hilger A.W., Thompson S.D., Smallman L.A., Watkinson J.C. Papillary carcinoma arising in a thyroglossal duct cyst: a case report and literature review. J. Laryngol. Otol. 1995, 109: 1124–1127.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Walton B.R., Kock K.E. Presentation and management of a thyroglossal duct cyst with a papillary carcinoma. Review South. Med. J. 1997, 90: 758–761.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Rosoff P.M., McGregor L.M. Papillary adenocarcinoma of the thyroid in a thyroglossal duct cyst. Pediatr. Hematol. Oncol. 2000, 17: 591–595.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Bhagavan V.S., Rao D.R., Weinberg T. Carcinoma of thyroglossal duct cyst: case reports and review of the literature. Surgery 1970, 67: 281–292.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Yildiz K., Koksal H., Ozpran Y., Muhtar H., Telatar M. Papillary carcinoma in a thyroglossal duct remnant with normal thyroid gland. J. Laryngol. Otol. 1993, 107: 1174–1176.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Joseph T.J., Komorowski R.A. Thyroglossal duct carcinoma. Hum. Pathol. 1975, 6: 717–729.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Branstetter B.F., Weissman J.L., Kennedy T.L., Whitaker M. The CT appearance of thyroglossal duct carcinoma. Am. J. Neuroradiol. 2000, 21: 1547–1550.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Kervancioglu R., Bayram M.M., Ozkur A., Bakir K. A thyroglossal duct cyst with calcification. Neuroradiology 2000, 42: 923–925.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Bruneton J.N., Geoffray A. Masses of the neck and oral cavity. In: Solbiati L., Rizzato G. (Eds.), Ultrasound of superficial structures. Churchill Livingstone, Kent, 1995, vol. 5, P. 117.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Reynolds J.H., Wolinski A.P. Sonographic appearance of branchial cysts. Clin. Radiol. 1993, 2: 109–110.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Bruneton J.N., Fenart D. Other cervical sites. In: Bruneton J.N. (Ed.), Ultrasonography of the neck. Springer, Berlin, 1987, P. 93.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  28. Yamamoto M., Tsuji M., Yamada K. et al. Cyst fluid levels of carcinoembryonic antigen, carbohydrate antigen 19–9, squamous cell carcinoma antigen, and amylase in thyroglossal duct and branchial bleft cysts. Surg. Today 2001, 31: 477–481.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. deMello D.E., Lima J.A., Liapis H. Midline cervical cysts in children. Arch. Otolaryngol. Head Neck Surg. 1987, 113: 418–420.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Reede D.L., Bergeron R.T., Som P.M. CT of thyroglossal cysts. Radiology 1985, 157: 121–125.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Grabowska H. Papillary carcinoma arising from ectopic thyroid gland in the wall of a thyroglossal duct cyst. Pathol. Res. Pract. 1993, 189: 1228–1229.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Weiss S.D, Orlich C.C. Primary papillary carcinoma of a thyroglossal duct cyst: report of a case and literature review. Br. J. Surg. 1991, 78: 87–89.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Tovi F., Fliss D.M., Inbar-Yanai I. Hurthle cell adenoma of the thyroglossal duct. Head Neck Surg. 1988, 10: 346–349.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Powers C.N., Frable W.J. Fine needle aspiration biopsy of the head and neck. Butterworth-Heinemann, Boston, 1996, P. 1.

    Google Scholar 

  35. Shaffer M.M., Oertel Y.C., Oertel J.E. Thyroglossal duct cysts: diagnostic criteria by fine-needle aspiration. Arch. Pathol. Lab. Med. 1996, 120: 1039–1043.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Cignarelli M., Triggiani V., Ciampolillo A. et al. High frequency of incidental diagnosis of extrathyroidal neoplastic diseases at the fine-needle aspiration biopsy of laterocervical lymph nodes in patients with thyroid nodules. Thyroid 2001, 11: 65–71.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, Via Ragazzi del ′99 6, 70059, Trani (Ba), Italy

    Mauro Cignarelli, A. Marino, O. Lamacchia & R. Cincione

  2. Endocrine Surgery, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy

    A. Ambrosi

  3. General Surgery, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy

    V. Neri

Authors
  1. Mauro Cignarelli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. Ambrosi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A. Marino
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. O. Lamacchia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. R. Cincione
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. V. Neri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mauro Cignarelli.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Cignarelli, M., Ambrosi, A., Marino, A. et al. Three cases of papillary carcinoma and three of adenoma in thyroglossal duct cysts: Clinical-diagnostic comparison with benign thyroglossal duct cysts. J Endocrinol Invest 25, 947–954 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03344066

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03344066

Keywords

Search

Navigation