Journal of Korean Thyroid Association  2012;5(1):73-77

doi:10.11106/jkta.2012.5.1.73

A Follicular Thyroid Carcinoma Presenting as Single Bone Metastasis to Distal Femur with Pathologic Fracture: a Case Report.

Sang Mi KIM 1 ; Yun Kyung JEON ; Sang Soo KIM ; Bo Hyun KIM ; In Ju KIM

Affiliations

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Keywords

Follicular thyroid carcinoma; Femur; Metastasis

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

Korean

Abstract

Follicular carcinomas are the second most common form of thyroid cancer. There are a few cases regarding initial presentation of a patient with distant metastasis leading to the diagnosis of follicular thyroid carcinoma. Most follicular thyroid carcinomas present as asymptomatic thyroid nodules, but the first sign of the disease is occasionally lymph-node metastases or in rare cases lung or bone metastases. Thirteen percentage of patients had distant metastasis at presentation, and bone metastasis constituted the majority. Vertebrae, pelvis, ribs, and femur were common sites of bone metastasis. Thus, case of metastasis to the femur only from follicular thyroid carcinoma is very rare. We recently experienced a case of follicular thyroid carcinoma with metastasis to the femur who presented with bone pain and pathologic fracture. We present this case with a review of the literature.