Uncommon metastatic journey: unusual breast metastases of medullary thyroid carcinoma: a case report
Abstract Medullary thyroid carcinoma is a neuroendocrine tumor derived from thyroid C-cells. It is a rare aggressive tumor, known to metastasize to lymph nodes, liver, bones, and lungs. We report a case of a young patient with a family history of breast cancer, who developed breast metastases six mo...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2025-01-01
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| Series: | BMC Women's Health |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-025-03564-y |
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| author | Saadallah Fatma Chrigui Maha Zemni Ines Kammoun Salma Houcin Yoldez Jbeli Souhail Driss Maha Ben Dhiab Tarak |
| author_facet | Saadallah Fatma Chrigui Maha Zemni Ines Kammoun Salma Houcin Yoldez Jbeli Souhail Driss Maha Ben Dhiab Tarak |
| author_sort | Saadallah Fatma |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Medullary thyroid carcinoma is a neuroendocrine tumor derived from thyroid C-cells. It is a rare aggressive tumor, known to metastasize to lymph nodes, liver, bones, and lungs. We report a case of a young patient with a family history of breast cancer, who developed breast metastases six months post-treatment for medullary thyroid carcinoma. The breast lesion was initially considered benign in ultrasound. Unlike the high prevalence of primary mammary malignancies, metastases to the breast are uncommon, and account for only 0.2–2.7% of all malignancies affecting this organ. This case emphasizes the need for thorough and continuous monitoring of patients with Medullary thyroid carcinoma, even in unusual locations, to ensure early detection and appropriate management. New lesions on imaging should be interpreted with caution to avoid underdiagnosing metastasis. Immunohistochemical analysis confirmed the metastatic origin, underscoring the challenges in distinguishing between primary and secondary breast tumors. This case contributes to the limited literature on MTC breast metastases and advocates for heightened clinical awareness regarding atypical metastatic sites in thyroid cancer patients. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0132ecf92c54433a9ea0b19a821cf4a4 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1472-6874 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Women's Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-0132ecf92c54433a9ea0b19a821cf4a42025-01-26T12:50:39ZengBMCBMC Women's Health1472-68742025-01-012511510.1186/s12905-025-03564-yUncommon metastatic journey: unusual breast metastases of medullary thyroid carcinoma: a case reportSaadallah Fatma0Chrigui Maha1Zemni Ines2Kammoun Salma3Houcin Yoldez4Jbeli Souhail5Driss Maha6Ben Dhiab Tarak7Department of Surgical Oncology, Salah Azaiez Institute, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El ManarDepartment of Surgical Oncology, Salah Azaiez Institute, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El ManarDepartment of Surgical Oncology, Salah Azaiez Institute, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El ManarDepartment of Pathology, Salah Azaiez Institute, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El ManarDepartment of Pathology, Salah Azaiez Institute, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El ManarDepartment of ENT, Salah Azaiez Institute, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El ManarDepartment of Pathology, Salah Azaiez Institute, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El ManarDepartment of Surgical Oncology, Salah Azaiez Institute, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El ManarAbstract Medullary thyroid carcinoma is a neuroendocrine tumor derived from thyroid C-cells. It is a rare aggressive tumor, known to metastasize to lymph nodes, liver, bones, and lungs. We report a case of a young patient with a family history of breast cancer, who developed breast metastases six months post-treatment for medullary thyroid carcinoma. The breast lesion was initially considered benign in ultrasound. Unlike the high prevalence of primary mammary malignancies, metastases to the breast are uncommon, and account for only 0.2–2.7% of all malignancies affecting this organ. This case emphasizes the need for thorough and continuous monitoring of patients with Medullary thyroid carcinoma, even in unusual locations, to ensure early detection and appropriate management. New lesions on imaging should be interpreted with caution to avoid underdiagnosing metastasis. Immunohistochemical analysis confirmed the metastatic origin, underscoring the challenges in distinguishing between primary and secondary breast tumors. This case contributes to the limited literature on MTC breast metastases and advocates for heightened clinical awareness regarding atypical metastatic sites in thyroid cancer patients.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-025-03564-yMedullary carcinomaThyroidBreastMetastasisSurgery |
| spellingShingle | Saadallah Fatma Chrigui Maha Zemni Ines Kammoun Salma Houcin Yoldez Jbeli Souhail Driss Maha Ben Dhiab Tarak Uncommon metastatic journey: unusual breast metastases of medullary thyroid carcinoma: a case report BMC Women's Health Medullary carcinoma Thyroid Breast Metastasis Surgery |
| title | Uncommon metastatic journey: unusual breast metastases of medullary thyroid carcinoma: a case report |
| title_full | Uncommon metastatic journey: unusual breast metastases of medullary thyroid carcinoma: a case report |
| title_fullStr | Uncommon metastatic journey: unusual breast metastases of medullary thyroid carcinoma: a case report |
| title_full_unstemmed | Uncommon metastatic journey: unusual breast metastases of medullary thyroid carcinoma: a case report |
| title_short | Uncommon metastatic journey: unusual breast metastases of medullary thyroid carcinoma: a case report |
| title_sort | uncommon metastatic journey unusual breast metastases of medullary thyroid carcinoma a case report |
| topic | Medullary carcinoma Thyroid Breast Metastasis Surgery |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-025-03564-y |
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