Graves' Disease that Developed Shortly after Surgery for Thyroid Cancer.
10.3803/EnM.2013.28.3.226
- Author:
Hea Min YU
1
;
Soon Hyun PARK
;
Jae Min LEE
;
Kang Seo PARK
Author Information
1. Department of Internal Medicine, Eulji University School of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea. pkkss@eulji.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
Graves' disease;
Partial thyroidectomy;
Thyroid cancer, papillary
- MeSH:
Antithyroid Agents;
Autoantibodies;
Carcinoma;
Graves Disease;
Humans;
Hyperthyroidism;
Immune System;
Incidence;
Receptors, Thyrotropin;
Recurrence;
Thyroid Gland;
Thyroid Neoplasms;
Thyroid Nodule;
Thyroidectomy
- From:Endocrinology and Metabolism
2013;28(3):226-230
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Graves' disease is an autoimmune disorder that may present with various clinical manifestations of hyperthyroidism. Patients with Graves' disease have a greater number of thyroid nodules and a higher incidence of thyroid cancer compared with patients with normal thyroid activity. However, cases in which patients are diagnosed with recurrence of Graves' disease shortly after partial thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer are very rare. Here we report a case of hyperthyroid Graves' disease that occurred after partial thyroidectomy for papillary thyroid cancer. In this case, the patient developed hyperthyroidism 9 months after right hemithyroidectomy, and antithyroglobulin autoantibody and thyroid stimulating hormone receptor stimulating autoantibody were positive. Therefore, we diagnosed Graves' disease on the basis of the laboratory test results and thyroid ultrasonography findings. The patient was treated with and maintained on antithyroid drugs. The mechanism of the recurrence of Graves' disease in this patient is still unclear. The mechanism may have been the improper response of the immune system after partial thyroidectomy. To precisely determine the mechanisms in Graves' disease after partial thyroidectomy, further studies based on a greater number of cases are needed.
