Isolated thyroid carcinoma in an ectopic thyroid tissue

Ectopic thyroid tissue (ETT) is a rare developmental abnormality due to aberrant embryogenesis of the thyroid gland. Although rare (<1%), papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common malignant transformation seen. A 34-year-old man presented with neck nodal swelling, on preoperative evaluation, was found to have PT) in ETT with the normal thyroid gland and nodal metastasis. The patient underwent surgery for PTC along with Sistrunk's procedure and the histopathology revealed ectopic thyroid carcinoma with a normal thyroid and lymph nodal metastasis. Although a rare entity, the possibility of an ectopic thyroid carcinoma should be considered in differentiated cancers with neck nodes in the setting of a normal thyroid gland. Clinical suspicion and radiological imaging would help improve the preoperative diagnosis which in turn alters the management and thereby providing a better outcome to the patient.