Thyroid Papillary Carcinoma of Follicular Type with Massive Invasion into Internal Jugular Vein: A Case Report

Abstract

A 65-year-old woman presented with a 3-month history of an enlarged cervical mass. Ultrasonography and CT scan of the neck showed tumors of the thyroid and its lateral neck. The lateral tumor appeared to be compressing the internal jugular vein. Fine needle aspiration cytology of the thyroid revealed atypical cells. Perioperatively, we recognized that the neck tumor had embolized into the internal jugular vein. A total thyroidectomy with modified radical neck dissection, combined with resection of the left internal jugular vein was performed. All tumors including the thrombus were macroscopically removed. Only a few cases of differentiated thyroid carcinoma showing such massive invasion into a great vein have been reported, but they generally had a poor prognosis. This patient has been followed up for 24 months with neither recurrence nor metastasis.