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Cutaneous tumour seeding following percutaneous sampling of a thyroid malignancy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 April 2025

H Coleman ,
C Yiannakis ,
S Wright  and
O J Hilmi
H Coleman*
Affiliation:
ENT Department, University Hospital Monklands, Airdrie, Scotland, UK
C Yiannakis
Affiliation:
ENT and Pathology, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
S Wright
Affiliation:
ENT and Pathology, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
O J Hilmi
Affiliation:
ENT and Pathology, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
*
Corresponding author: Holli Coleman; Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

Objective

To report a case of cutaneous tumour seeding following core biopsy of a thyroid malignancy.

Methods

This paper presents a case report of cutaneous tumour seeding following core biopsy and a review of the literature concerning the role, and risks, of fine needle aspiration and core biopsy in the diagnostic evaluation of neck lumps.

Results

A 75-year-old woman presented with a left-sided level IV neck lump adjacent to the left lobe of the thyroid. Fine needle aspiration revealed that the neck lump contained follicular epithelial cell groups; however, nuclear grooves and pseudo-inclusions could not exclude a diagnosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma. Subsequent core biopsy confirmed features of a thyroid neoplasm, although abundant necrosis and limited lesional cells within the specimen made histological diagnosis difficult. The patient underwent total thyroidectomy and left-sided selective neck dissection for symptom control. A superficial nodule overlying the core biopsy site was noted at operation and excised; it was found to contain cells of poorly differentiated papillary carcinoma identical to the subsequently confirmed thyroid primary.

Conclusion

This case highlights a rare but important risk associated with sampling neck lumps. Nevertheless, ultrasound-guided sampling is an essential investigative step with great diagnostic accuracy and patient acceptability.

Keywords

BiopsyThyroid Neoplasms
Type
Clinical Records
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , First View , pp. 1 - 3
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press

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Footnotes

Ms H Coleman takes responsibility for the integrity of the content of the paper

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