Abstract
We present a case of bilateral cervical lymph node metastases in tongue squamous cell carcinoma in which thyroid enlargement originating from chronic thyroiditis extended to the mediastinum. A 54-year-old woman with a mass on the margin of the right tongue was referred to our department. The medical history included mental retardation and chronic thyroiditis. The mass formation with induration and ulcer was located on the margin of the right tongue. Swollen lymph nodes were palpated on both submandibular regions. Several lymph node metastases were detected in the bilateral neck by CT, MRI, and US. The huge thyroid gland ranged from the oropharynx to the mediastinum, and the trachea was retracted to the left side. A clinical diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma in the right tongue （T2N2cM0） was made, and partial tongue resection and bilateral neck dissection were performed. No postoperative tracheostomy was conducted due to the huge thyroid gland. The patient received postoperative strict respiratory management under sedation and postoperative chemoradiotherapy after extubation. Two years and 10 months after surgery, the patient had no recurrence or metastasis.
