A case of thyroid cancer associated with marked eosinophilia in the peripheral blood is reported. The patient was a 65-year-old female, who suffered from a recurrence of thyroid cancer.
She had hemithyroidectomy elsewhere about a half year prior. On admission, total thyroidectomy with total laryngectomy and neck dissection were performed because of tracheal invasion. Pathohistological findings showed mixed papillary and follicular adenocarcinoma. After further neck dissection, pulmonary metastasis developed. And leucocytosis and eosinophilia developed 5900 to 40800/mm
3, 6.8 per cent to 39.5 per cent respectively, without apparent signs of infection. White blood cell count and eosinophil count were gradually elevated in parallel with the area of the metastatic lesions. Due to irradiation, eosinophilia partially decreased, but began to increase again.
The results suggested that the tumor might produce some stimulating factors for eosinophil proliferation, although we could not detect the colony stimulating factor in that patient's urine, serum and tumor.
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