RESECTION OF THE STERNUM FOR METASTASIS OF THYROID CANCER -A REPORT OF TWO CASES-

Abstract

This report is concerned with two patients who underwent resection of the sternum because of sternal metastasis from thyroid cancer.
Case 1. A 42-year-old male who had undergone thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer 2 years before, was admitted because of a mass overlying the manubrium sterni and clavicula. Under the diagnosis of bone metastasis from thyroid cancer, resection of the upper portion of the sternum and the clavicula was carried out. His postoperative clinical course was uneventful. Three years and 11 months postoperatively he died of generalized metastasis.
Case 2. A 76-year-old female was admitted with the complaint of a mass overlying the manubrium 7 years after thyroidectomy. As in Case 1, under the diagnosis of metastasis from thyroid cancer, resection of the upper portion of the sternum was carried out. Postoperative course was uneventful, but 1 year and 7 months after the operation she died at home with local dissemination of the primary site in the neck.
Few reports about sternal resection for metastatic thyroid cancer are found in the literauree. We advocate that resection of the sternum should be performed if the metastasis is solitary or the risk of massive bleeding and compression to the respiratory and cardiovascular system is increased due to the enlarging mass.