Thyroid follicular carcinoma: a case report

Abstract

We present an 8-year-old boy with thyroid follicular carcinoma. Differentiated thyroid follicular carcinoma is very uncommon in childhood and is not usually suspected as the explanation of a thyroid nodule during infancy. The purpose of our paper is to demonstrate the imaging findings in a child and to emphasise the importance of including this tumour in the differential diagnosis of thyroid nodules in children.

Childhood minimally invasive follicular carcinoma: Clinical features and immunohistochemistry analysis

“…Although no systemic information about childhood MIFC was reported, studies about adult MIFC showed that MIFC patients had younger mean age, smaller size of the primary tumour and lower incidence of extra-thyroidal extension when compared with the whole FC group. 4,19,22 Similar with most childhood and adulthood FC cases, 4,14,15 two paediatric cases in our study presented a neck palpable mass. We did not find palpable swollen lymph nodes, hoarseness or other symptoms caused by distance metastases in these two cases, although some studies showed that childhood FC also can present these symptoms or signs.…”

“…Only two reliable histological criteria, capsular and vascular invasion, are known to detect malignancy before local invasion or metastases. Thyroid nodule is common in children, and it is difficult to distinguish whether the mass is malignant or benign 15,29 . Some studies suggested that the mass should be screened while the size is over 1.5 cm 30 .…”

“…In our study, the thyroid carcinoma accounted for about 2.16% of the paediatric malignant solid tumour, and MIFC accounted for 22.22% (2/9) of the thyroid carcinoma. Although some paediatric cases diagnosed as FC, including MIFC, were reported, 2,5,11,[13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] no further information to distinguish the subtype or to compare with adults' MIFC was provided. Herein, we reported two cases of this rare disease with detailed information.…”

“…Thyroid nodule is common in children, and it is difficult to distinguish whether the mass is malignant or benign. 15,29 Some studies suggested that the mass should be screened while the size is over 1.5 cm. 30 Multifocal lesions, isoechoic or hypoechoic mass on ultrasonography, and cold nodule on radionuclide scintigraphy might suggest malignancy.…”