A Case of Resection of Thyroid Cancer Metastases to the Sternum

Abstract

We report the case of an 87-year-old woman with sternal bone metastasis and multiple lung metastases from thyroid cancer who underwent hemithyroidectomy, then noticed anterior chest swelling. Chest CT showed a mass destroying the upper sternum. As the anterior chest mass grew, CT showed an increasingly large tumor, suggesting expansion to the anterior mediastinum. The size of multiple lung nodules, however, was unchanged from the previous scan. Suspecting the tumor of causing the woman's discomfort, we partially resected the sternum and reconstructed the sternal defect using a major myocutaneous pectoral flap. She has had no physical or pulmonary impairment since.