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Thyroid hemiagenesis and incidentally discovered papillary thyroid cancer: Case report and review of the literature

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Abstract

Thyroid hemiagenesis (TH) is a rare congenital abnormality in which one thyroid lobe fails to develop. Its prevalence is uncertain, because the absence of one thyroid lobe does not usually cause clinical symptoms. The detection of TH is usually incidental when the evaluation of other thyroid disorders is requested. It is more frequently found in female than in male patients (3:1 ratio) and in the left lobe compared to the right lobe. We report the case of a 54-yr-old man, presenting with a large multinodular right-sided goiter, with mediastinal extension and dysphagia. Thyroid scan and ultrasound study showed the absence of the left lobe. The patient underwent surgery for compressive symptoms, and the operation confirmed the absence of the left lobe. Histological examination demonstrated a multinodular goiter with papillary carcinoma. To our knowledge, this case represents the first reported case of association between TH and papillary thyroid carcinoma in a male patient, and the second in which the tumor arose in the right lobe.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Endocrinology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Del Pozzo 71, 41100, Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy

    A. M. Pizzini, G. Papi & C. Carani

  2. Section of Pathology, Department of Forensic and Morphological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy

    S. Corrado

  3. Institute of Endocrinology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy

    E. Roti

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  1. A. M. Pizzini
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  2. G. Papi
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  4. C. Carani
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Correspondence to A. M. Pizzini.

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Pizzini, A.M., Papi, G., Corrado, S. et al. Thyroid hemiagenesis and incidentally discovered papillary thyroid cancer: Case report and review of the literature. J Endocrinol Invest 28, 66–71 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03345532

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