Anaplastic carcinoma of thyroid gland with widespread soft tissue metastasis: an unusual presentation

Abstract

Anaplastic thyroid cancer is the rarest tumour of the thyroid gland, representing only 2% of clinically recognised thyroid cancers. The most common metastatic sites are lungs, followed by the intrathoracic and neck lymph nodes. We report the case of a 62-year-old woman who presented to our setting with multiple soft tissue nodules, thyroid mass, head swelling and weight loss. Radiological investigation showed a large thyroid mass with widespread metastasis in subcutaneous tissues of both upper limbs, chest and abdomen. Metastasis was also found in lungs, skull and adrenal glands after which the patient was diagnosed with stage IVc anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC). After careful consideration of patient's clinical condition with multiple poor prognostic factors, medical therapy was withheld and she was discharged on hospice care. The patient expired after 1 month. In ATC, metastasis to subcutaneous tissue is an extremely rare occurrence of which there is hardly any evidence in literature.