Carcinoma of the Kidney Presenting as a Thyroid Nodule

Abstract

THE THYROID gland, although a very vascular structure, is an uncommon site of metastatic involvement. Lucke and Schlumberger1found the thyroid involved in metastatic disease in 1.3% of patients on whom autopsies were performed who had renal adenocarcinoma. The over-all incidence of metastatic lesions in the thyroid is 4%. There are a number of cases reported of patients operated on, with a presumptive diagnosis of primary carcinoma of the thyroid, in whom adenocarcinoma of the kidney was later found to be the primary focus of the malignancy. Report of a Case A 40-yr-old white male physician had noted increased tightness of his shirt collars for a period of approximately 6 mo which he attributed to recent weight gain. While shaving, 24 hr before admission, the patient noted a mass over the right lobe of the thyroid gland. He had no other symptoms. Laboratory studies performed on admission included hemogram,