ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Despite its rich vascularity, metastasis (MTS) to the thyroid tissue is unusual, ranging from 1 to 3%. This entity is not usually considered as differential diagnosis and is not included in the upfront approach in patients with thyroid nodules. Once diagnosed, treatment is controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate diagnosis, treatment, and outcome at the end of follow-up in patients with a diagnosis of MTS to the thyroid. METHODS: A retrospective multicenter study was designed from 1985 to 2022; 29 patients with MTS to the thyroid gland were included in the analysis. RESULTS: Clinical presentation included the presence of a nodular goiter (65.5%), compression symptoms (17.2%), diffuse goiter (10.3%), and suspicious lymph nodes in the neck (7%). Primary tumor sites were: kidney (44.8%), breast (24.1%), lung (13.8%), neuroendocrine system (6.9%), colon (3.4%), cervix (3.4%), and ovary (3.4%). In 18/23 patients, suspicious ultrasound criteria for malignancy were described. Preoperative diagnosis was made in 23/27 patients by FNA and confirmed in 18 cases by immunohistochemistry. Seventeen patients underwent surgery. At the end of the follow-up, 19 patients had died of oncological disease, and six were alive (2/6 disease-free with isolated intrathyroidal MTS). CONCLUSION: Renal carcinoma was the tumor that most frequently metastasized to the thyroid gland. Immunodiagnosis was a very useful tool for etiological confirmation. Patients with MTS to the thyroid gland as a unique site had a more favorable course compared to patients with multiple metastatic sites. Finally, outcomes and prognosis essentially depended on the biology of the primary tumor.
Subject(s)
Thyroid Neoplasms , Humans , Female , Middle Aged , Male , Retrospective Studies , Thyroid Neoplasms/pathology , Aged , Adult , Thyroid Gland/pathology , Aged, 80 and over , Kidney Neoplasms/pathologyABSTRACT
Los inhibidores de la tirosina cinasa son utilizados para el tratamiento de diversas neoplasias interfiriendo en múltiples vías de proliferación celular y angiogénesis tumoral. Estos fármacos presentan efectos adversos de clase, destacándose entre ellos la afectación de la función tiroidea. Existen diferentes mecanismos propuestos por los cuales estos agentes orales llevan tanto al hipotiroidismo como a la tirotoxicosis. Aún no existe consenso sobre el seguimiento y tratamiento ante la aparición de estos efectos.
Tyrosine kinase inhibitors are used for the treatment of different types of tumours, interfering in various cell proliferation pathways, and tumour angiogenesis. These oral agents have side effects, thyroid dysfunction outstanding among them. There are different mechanisms through which these agents lead to hypothyroidism, as well as thyrotoxicosis. There is still no consensus on the treatment and follow-up of the above mentioned effects.
