Thyroglossal duct cyst carcinoma in child(†)

Papillary thyroid carcinoma occurring in a thyroglossal cyst is a rare condition especially in children, and there is no consensus regarding management. There are only 10 other documented cases in the English literature for children under the age of 12. We discuss one such case. A 10-year-old female child with an 8-month history of a midline neck cyst underwent Sistrunk's procedure as surgical treatment after clinical and ultrasound scan confirmation. An incidental 9-mm papillary carcinoma was seen on histology within the thyroglossal cyst. Following multidisciplinary team (MDT) discussion, the child underwent total thyroidectomy and radioiodine ablation. There is no consensus regarding the ideal management for thyroglossal duct carcinoma in the paediatric literature. We discuss the treatment options and the importance of MDT involvement.