Thyroglossal duct carcinoma: case report and literature review

Background: Thyroglossal duct cyst carcinoma is a rare disease with a prevalence of similar to 1%. Preoperative diagnosis of thyroglossal duct carcinoma is uncommon and is based on the cytopathological examination of fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) specimens, although with low sensitivity. Optimal treatment for thyroglossal duct carcinoma is the Sistrunk procedure; nevertheless, it remains controversial if patients benefit from total thyroidectomy, postoperative radioactive iodine therapy, suppression with thyroid hormone or radiotherapy. Clinical case. We present the case of a 32-year-old female who presented with a midline neck tumor, which was diagnosed as a thyroglossal duct cyst. Sistrunk surgical technique was used without complications. Histological examination revealed papillary carcinoma in the thyroglossal duct. The patient underwent total thyroidectomy, postoperative radioactive iodine and suppression with thyroid hormone. Conclusions: Initial evaluation includes meticulous exploration, ultrasound and FNAB. Treatment for this type of carcinoma must be individualized for each patient, considering total thyroidectomy as an option for all high-risk patients. Our patient had a successful evolution.