7387 A Rare Case Of Concomitant Intrathyroidal Parathyroid Carcinoma With Osteitis Fibrosa Cystica, Masquerading As Oncocytic Thyroid Carcinoma - A Post-operative Diagnosis
Authors: Qing Koh Yun , Kwang Chew Daniel Ek , Lim Quek Timothy Peng 
Published: October 2024

Disclosure: Y. Koh: None. D.E. Chew: None. T.P. Quek: None.

Introduction: Parathyroid carcinoma is a rare form of malignancy. An intrathyroidal location of parathyroid carcinoma further complicates the diagnosis as it may be mistakenly presumed to be of thyroid origin instead. We present a case report of an intrathyroidal parathyroid carcinoma which was diagnosed post-total thyroidectomy. Clinical case: A 72-year-old lady was found to have an intrathyroidal mass after presenting with unintentional weight loss and chronic constipation. Ultrasound of the neck showed a 4.0 x 2.9cm markedly hypoechoic solid mass in the mid-lower right thyroid lobe. Fine needle aspiration of the mass was suspicious for an oncocytic neoplasm. She underwent total thyroidectomy with central neck dissection for concerns of oncocytic thyroid carcinoma. Intraoperatively, a 4cm right hard intrathyroidal nodule invading into the right recurrent laryngeal nerve was observed. All 4 parathyroids were identified and preserved. Post-operatively, routine biochemistry to monitor for hypocalcemia showed hypercalcemia instead. This quickly transitioned into hypocalcemia on post-operative day 4, with biochemistry supportive of hungry bone syndrome [adjusted calcium 2.05mmol/L [normal range (NR) 2.15-2.5], phosphate 0.6mmol/L (NR 0.8-1.4), PTH 8.2pmol/L (NR 0.8-6.8), 25-OH vitamin D 18ug/L (NR 30-100)]. She was started on oral calcium carbonate, calcitriol and cholecalciferol aiming for normocalcemia. Evidence for underlying primary hyperparathyroidism were sought for, which showed osteitis fibrosa cystica, severe osteoporosis and an ossifying fibroma of the mandible, suggesting underlying hyperparathyroidism-jaw tumour-syndrome. The intra-operative histology was reported as oncocytic carcinoma with angio- and perineural invasion, presumed to be thyroid in origin. Given our suspicion of underlying primary hyperparathyroidism, we requested our pathology colleagues to perform additional immunochemical stains, which stained diffusely positive for parathyroid hormone, GATA3 but were negative for thyroglobulin, thyroid transcriptor factor-1, confirming its parathyroid origin. Her hungry bone syndrome resolved 22 weeks post-operatively. Till present (14 months post-operatively), her calcium and PTH levels remain normal and ultrasound of the neck did not reveal any evidence of recurrence. She declined genetic screening. Clinical Lesson: A high index of suspicion is required for the diagnosis of parathyroid carcinoma. In a patient who presents with constitutional symptoms and a neck mass, it is imperative to consider parathyroid disease as a differential diagnosis. A lesion with oncocytic morphology may be of parathyroid or thyroid origin, and the use of immunochemical stains can help differentiate them. Effective communication between clinicians and pathologists is essential in clinching the correct cytopathological diagnosis.

Presentation: 6/3/2024