Cervical lymph node metastasis as the first symptom of combined anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (squamous cell carcinoma) and follicular carcinoma: a case report

Background Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma(ATC) is a rare pathological type of thyroid malignancy.

Primary squamous cell carcinoma of thyroid(PSCCT) is now considered as a subtype of ATC, hereinafter referred to as ATC-SCC subtype.

ATC-SCC subtype combined with follicular thyroid carcinoma is exceedingly rare, with fewer cases reported.

The ATC-SCC subtype is a highly invasive tumor with a poor prognosis for patients after metastasis occurs, and current treatment of this type of tumor is tricky.

Case presentation A 68-year-old female patient presented with a gradually growing swelling of right cervical region.

Comprehensive auxiliary examinations and postoperative pathology confirmed the diagnosis of ATC-SCC subtype with follicular thyroid carcinoma, and the metastasis squamous cell carcinoma of the right cervical lymph nodes originates from ATC-SCC subtype.

The patient received chemoradiotherapy postoperative.

However, the residual cervical lymph nodes metastasis with squamous cell carcinoma still infiltrated surrounding structures in the neck extensively after palliative resection.

The patient died 7 months after surgery.

Conclusion Our case highlights that cervical lymph node metastasis may be a significant factor in the poor prognosis of ATC-SCC subtype.

This malignancy should be detected and treated early.