Thyroid papillary carcinoma in a thyroglossal duct remnant

ABSTRACT

Thyroglossal duct remnants [TGDR] are the most common congenital cervical swellings, but malignant change is reported to occur only in about 1% of such lesions. Papillary thyroid carcinoma [PTC] is the most frequent carcinoma in TGDRs constituting some 80% of these tumours. We report a 57 year old male patient with PTC of the thyroglossal duct remnant together with a review of the literature and discussion regarding management. This patient was treated with Sistrunk's operation as well as a total thyroidectomy