Pleural fluid due to papillary thyroid cancer

Abstract

We report herein a rare case of massive pleural effusion caused by papillary thyroid cancer, which was accompanied by multiple pulmonary metastasis. A 91-year-old male patient presented with shortness of breath due to massive right pleural fluid. Cytological specimens, which were obtained from pleural fluid by thoracentesis, and was consistent with that observed in surgically resected thyroid cancer 6-year previously. Immunocytochemical staining of the cells was positive for cytokeratin (CK)-7, CK-19, and positive for thyroglobulin. Massive pleural fluid due to a metastatic from papillary thyroid cancer is very rare but may develop in long-term survivors with this disease as observed in this case. drainage using thoracic tube is indicative for the patients with dyspnea, especially those with chemotherapy-resistant malignancies (22). As for therapy, pleurodesis is usually performed after pleural fluid drainage. However, as this is a rare condition, standard therapy has not yet established. This case report documents our clinical experience, we present herein a patient with pleural fluid due to papillary thyroid cancer, and reviewed previously reported such cases (3-19).