Colon Cancer Metastatic to the Thyroid Gland in the Setting of Pathologically Diagnosed Papillary Thyroid Cancer: A Review and Report of a Case

Abstract

Colon cancer metastases to the thyroid gland are a particularly rare occurrence. Despite the relative amenability of the gland to clinical, radiologic, and pathologic assessment, preoperative distinction between primary and secondary thyroid neoplastic processes remains difficult. Here we describe a case of a patient with a known history of stage IV colon cancer with multiple pulmonary metastases, presenting with a thyroid lesion initially diagnosed as papillary thyroid cancer on fine-needle aspiration biopsy but found to be metastatic colonic adenocarcinoma on post-thyroidectomy pathologic evaluation utilizing immunohistochemical techniques. A review of the literature is also included.