Simultaneous Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

♦Corresponding Author: Negar Azarpira, MD Organ Transplant Research Center, Pathology Department, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran Tel: +98-711-647 4331 Email: [email protected] Introduction The presence of synchronous malignant tumors in patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the pharynx is not a rare event. This is important because it can decrease the overall survival or treatment failure in patients with SCC.1 Occult thyroid papillary carcinoma (TPC) is not uncommon and may occur in the population, with an incidence of 1%–10%. Autopsy studies in adults have reported a higher incidence rate of 35%.1 It must be mentioned that Abstract The association of squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx with thyroid papillary carcinoma is an unusual finding. From 2004 to 2011, approximately 250 patients underwent laryngectomies due to squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx at the Otolaryngology Department of Khalili Hospital, affiliated with Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. In three patients, synchronous occurrence of squamous cell carcinoma and thyroid papillary carcinoma was found. Histopathologic study of the lymph nodes revealed metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma in one case. We report three cases of thyroid papillary carcinoma incidentally found on histological examinations of resected thyroid lobes, as a procedure required for treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. In comparison, laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma needs more aggressive treatment than well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma. The prevalence of thyroid papillary carcinoma, as an incidental finding in our study was 0.01%. Therefore, preoperative evaluation of the thyroid gland by ultrasonography and fine needle aspiration biopsy of suspicious lesions is recommended in patients who are candidates for open laryngectomy.