Cerebellar mass as a primary presentation of papillary thyroid carcinoma: case report and literature review

BACKGROUND: Papillary carcinoma is the most common differentiated malignant thyroid neoplasm. The biological course of this cancer is typically indolent with a protracted clinical course. Metastases commonly occur in regional lymph nodes, and distant metastasis is a late and rare occurrence. We report a patient who presented with cerebellar metastasis prior to the diagnosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma and review the literature of brain metastasis from papillary thyroid carcinoma. RESULTS: A 75-year old female presented at the emergency room with progressive dizziness, headache and vomiting, where a brain CT and MRI showed a posterior cerebellar tumor. Surgical resection revealed papillary carcinoma consistent with thyroid origin. Subsequent ultrasound and CT-scan revealed a thyroid nodule, after which the patient underwent total thyroidectomy. Pathologic evaluation was consistent with papillary thyroid carcinoma. CONCLUSION: Brain metastasis may rarely be the initial presentation of papillary thyroid carcinoma. Solitary brain metastasis can completely be resected with better prognosis.