European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

SCALP METASTASES FROM FOLLICULAR THYROID CARCINOMA DIAGNOSED ON FINE NEEDLE ASPIRATION CYTOLOGY AT THE INITIAL PRESENTATION: A CASE REPORT

Dr. Swagata Dowerah, Dr. Musfika Tabassum* and Dr. Kabita Pegu

ABSTRACT

Follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) is the second most common type of thyroid carcinoma after papillary thyroid carcinoma. It accounts for 5-15% of primary thyroid cancers & is more commonly found in older patients, mostly females. They present as slowly, enlarging painless nodules and through haematogenous dissemination metastasises to bone, lungs, liver & elsewhere. Since it is a slowly growing tumour, some patients present with metastasis at the initial presentation. Metastasis to scalp is an extremely rare presentation and usually denotes advanced disease. We report a case of a 54 year old lady who presented to the surgery OPD with a large scalp swelling over the right parieto-occipital swelling and a small thyroid swelling both of which were painless. Fine needle aspiration cytology from both the swellings showed many microfollicles & clusters of follicular epithelial cells. The case was therefore diagnosed as scalp metastasis from FTC on FNAC.

Keywords: Follicular thyroid carcinoma, scalp metastasis, fine needle aspiration cytology.