Delayed brain metastasis after 17-years from papillary thyroid cancer without local recurrence: Case report and literature review

Abstract

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common malignancy originating from the thyroid, with a good overall prognosis. However, distant metastasis of such lesions is very rare, with the brain being an incredibly uncommon site for secondary spread. The authors report a case of PTC brain metastasis 17-years after successful treatment of the primary malignancy, with no local or locoregional recurrence. Initial diagnostic uncertainty necessitated the involvement of a multidisciplinary team, and eventually the patient underwent image-guided gross surgical resection with intraoperative neuromonitoring (IOMN).