Abstract
The prevalence of thyroid metastases in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients is unknown.
We retrieved the records of all patients with CRC and pathologically proved thyroid
metastasis for the period 1993–2004. Among 5862 consecutive patients with CRC, 6 (0.1%)
were diagnosed with thyroid metastases, a median of 61 months after the diagnosis
of primary tumour, and a median of 19 months after the last surgical resection or
radiofrequency ablation of other metastases (which were present in all cases). Signs
and symptoms, when present (n = 3), consisted of cervical pain, cervical adenopathy, goitre, dysphagia, and/or dysphonia.
In other cases, the diagnosis was made by positron emission tomography scanning. Thyroidectomy
was performed in the 5 patients with isolated thyroid metastases, with cervical lymph
node dissection being required in all cases. The only patient treated conservatively
because of concomitant liver and lung metastases developed life-threatening dyspnoea,
which required emergent tracheal stenting. Median overall survival was 77 months,
58 months, and 12 months after the diagnosis of primary CRC, initial metastases, and
thyroid metastasis, respectively. It is concluded that thyroid metastases are rare
and occur late in the course of CRC. Thyroidectomy (with cervical lymph node dissection)
may result in prevention or improvement of life-threatening symptoms and prolonged
survival.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
November 29,
2005
Received in revised form:
November 28,
2005
Received:
November 10,
2005
Identification
Copyright
© 2006 Elsevier Ltd. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
