Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Metastatic Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma to the Maxilla: Case Report and Literature Review

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Head and Neck Pathology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Metastatic tumors to the oral cavity are uncommon and a thyroid origin is considered exceedingly rare. A case of metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) presenting as a painful swelling in the right posterior maxilla of a 63-year-old male is reported here. The patient had been diagnosed with PTC 2 years ago and treated with thyroidectomy and radioactive iodine treatment. Radiographically, the metastatic lesion presented as a poorly-defined radiolucent lesion around an impacted maxillary third molar in the right maxilla. Histopathologic examination revealed features of PTC which was immunohistochemically positive for pancytokeratin, keratin 19 and thyroglobulin. Imaging studies revealed the presence of residual maxillary and neck disease as well as additional metastatic lesions in the sternum, ribs, and left tibia. A thorough review of the English language literature revealed only 36 previously published cases of thyroid cancer metastases to the oral cavity, the demographic and clinicopathologic features of which are summarized.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Hodak SP, Burman KD. Thyroid carcinoma. Metastases to bone. In: Wartofsky L, Van Nostrand D, editors. Thyroid cancer A. Comprehensive guide to clinical management. 2nd ed. Totowa: Humana Press Inc; 2006. p. 497.

    Google Scholar 

  2. DeGroot LJ, Sridama V. Thyroid neoplasia. In: DeGroot LJ, editor. Endocrinology. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Company; 1989. p. 766–7.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Wood WJ, Singletary SE, Hickey RC. Current results of treatment for distant metastatic well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Arch Surg. 1989;124:1374–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Larsen PR, Davies TF, Hay DI. The thyroid gland. In: Wilson JD, Foster DW, Kronenberg HM, Larsen PR, editors. Williams textbook of endocrinology. 9th ed. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Company; 1998. p. 487.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Grebe SK, Hay ID. Follicular thyroid cancer. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 1995;24:761–801.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Pittas AG, Adler M, Fazzari M, et al. Bone metastases from thyroid carcinoma: clinical characteristics and prognostic variables in one hundred forty-six patients. Thyroid. 2000;10:261–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Meyer I, Shklar G. Malignant tumors metastatic to mouth and jaws. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol. 1965;20:350–62.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Zachariades N, Koumoura F, Vairaktaris E, et al. Metastatic tumors to the jaws: a report of seven cases. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 1989;47:991–6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Vural E, Hanna E. Metastatic follicular thyroid carcinoma to the mandible: a case report and review of the literature. Am J Otoralyngol. 1998;19:198–202.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Hirshberg A, Leibovich P, Buchner A. Metastatic tumors to the jawbones: analysis of 390 cases. J Oral Pathol Med. 1994;23:337–41.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. D’Silva NJ, Summerlin DJ, Cordell KG, et al. Metastatic tumors in the jaws: a retrospective study of 114 cases. Am Dent Assoc. 2006;137:1667–72.

    Google Scholar 

  12. van der Waal RI, Buter J, van der Waal I. Oral metastases: report of 24 cases. Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2003;41:3–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Hirshberg A, Shnaiderman-Shapiro A, Kaplan I, et al. Metastatic tumours to the oral cavity—pathogenesis and analysis of 673 cases. Oral Oncol. 2008;44:743–52.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Clausen F, Poulsen H. Metastatic carcinoma to the jaws. Acta Pathol Microbiol Immunol Scand. 1963;57:361–74.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Erdag T, Bilgen C, Ceryan K. Metastatic thyroid carcinoma of the mandibule. Rev Laryngol Otol Rhinol (Bord). 1999;120:31–4.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. McDaniel RK, Luna MA, Stimson PG. Metastatic tumors in the jaws. Oral Surg. 1971;31:380–6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Al-Ani S. Metastatic tumors to the mouth: report of two cases. J Oral Surg. 1973;31:120–2.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Ripp GA, Wendth AJ Jr, Vitale P. Metastatic thyroid carcinoma of the mandible mimicking an arteriovenous malformation. J Oral Surg. 1977;35:743–5.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Draper BW, Precious DS, Priddy RW, et al. Clinicopathological conference. Case 29, part 2. Follicular thyroid carcinoma metastatic to the mandible. J Oral Surg. 1979;37:736–9.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Stypulkowska J, Bartkowski S, Pana’s M, et al. Metastatic tumors to the jaws and oral cavity. Oral Surg. 1979;37:805–8.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Osguthorpe JD, Bratton JR. Occult thyroid carcinoma appearing as a single mandibular metastasis. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 1982;90:674–5.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Nishimura Y, Nakajima T, Yakata H, et al. Metastatic thyroid carcinoma of the mandible. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 1982;40:221–5.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Parichatikanond P, Parichatikanond P, Damrongvadha P, et al. Jaw metastasis from follicular carcinoma of thyroid gland simulating ameloblastoma. J Med Assoc Thai. 1984;67:362–7.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Tovi F, Leiberman A, Hirsch M. Uncommon clinical manifestations in a case of thyroid carcinoma. Head Neck Surg. 1984;6:974–7.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Markitziu A, Fisher D, Marmary Y. Thyroid papillary carcinoma presenting as jaw and parotid gland metastases. Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 1986;15:648–53.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Kahn MA, McCord PT. Metastatic thyroid carcinoma of the mandible: case report. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 1989;47:1314–6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Whitaker B, Robinson K, Hewan-Lowe K, et al. Thyroid metastasis to the oral soft tissues: case report of a diagnostic dilemma. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 1993;51:588–93.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Agarwal A, Mishra SK, Jain M. Follicular thyroid carcinoma with metastasis to the mandible. J Indian Med Assoc. 1998;96:354–5.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Anil S, Lal PM, Gill DS, et al. Metastasis of thyroid carcinoma to the mandible. Case report Aust Dent J. 1999;44:56–7.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Piattelli A, Fioroni M, Rubini C. Gingival metastasis from a medullary thyroid carcinoma: case report. J Periodontol. 2000;71:112–6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Colella G, Capone R, Cappabianca S. Mandibular metastasis from papillary thyroid carcinoma—a case report. Tumori. 2003;89:452–4.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Ostrosky A, Mareso EA, Klurfan FJ, et al. Mandibular metastasis of follicular thyroid carcinoma. Case Report Med Oral. 2003;8:224–7.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Bodner L, Sion-Vardy N, Geffen DB, et al. Metastatic tumors to the jaws: a report of eight new cases. Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal. 2006;11:E132–5.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Liu L, Venkataraman G, Salhadar A. Follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma with unusual late metastasis to the mandible and the scapula. Pathol Int. 2007;57:296–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Tamiolakis D, Tsamis I, Thomaidis V, et al. Jaw bone metastases: four cases. Acta Dermatovenerol Alp Panonica Adriat. 2007;16:21–5.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Kaveri H, Punnya VA, Tayaar AS. Metastatic thyroid carcinoma to the mandible. J Oral Maxillofac Pathol. 2007;11:32–4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Antunes AA, Antunes AP. Gnathic bone metastasis: a retrospective study of 10 cases. Braz J Otorhinolaryngol. 2008;74:561–5.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Ismail SB, Abraham MT, Zaini ZB, et al. Metastatic follicular thyroid carcinoma to the mandible: a case report. Cases J. 2009;2:6533.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Algahtani M, Alqudah M, Alshehri S, et al. Pathologic fracture of the mandible caused by metastatic follicular thyroid carcinoma. J Can Dent Assoc. 2009;75:457–60.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Nishikawa H, Nakashiro K, Sumida T, et al. Mandibular osteoblastic metastasis of poorly differentiated carcinoma of the thyroid gland. Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2010;39:301–4.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Kumar RV, Chakravarthy C, Sekhar GR, et al. Metastatic thyroid carcinoma presenting as hypervascular lesion of the mandible: a case report and review of literature. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2010;68:2613–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Daley T, Darling MR. Metastases to the mouth and jaws: a contemporary Canadian experience. J Can Dent Assoc. 2011;77:b67.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Marcocci C, Pacini F, Elisei R, et al. Clinical and biologic behavior of bone metastases from differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Surgery. 1989;106:960–6.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Schlumberger M, Tubiana M, De Vathaire F, et al. Long-term results of treatment of 283 patients with lung and bone metastases from differentiated thyroid carcinoma. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1986;63:960–7.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Oral Pathology and Medicine, Dental School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece

    Nikolaos G. Nikitakis, Angeliki Polymeri & Alexandra Sklavounou

  2. Second Division of Endocrinology, Alexandra Hospital, Athens, Greece

    Antonis Polymeris

  3. Department of Oral Pathology and Medicine, School of Dentistry, University of Athens, 2 Thivon St., Goudi, 11527, Athens, Greece

    Nikolaos G. Nikitakis

Authors
  1. Nikolaos G. Nikitakis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Angeliki Polymeri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Antonis Polymeris
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Alexandra Sklavounou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nikolaos G. Nikitakis.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Nikitakis, N.G., Polymeri, A., Polymeris, A. et al. Metastatic Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma to the Maxilla: Case Report and Literature Review. Head and Neck Pathol 6, 216–223 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12105-011-0323-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12105-011-0323-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation