Resumen

FEDERICO, Karol et al. Metástasis pulmonar miliar como primera manifestación de carcinoma de tiroides bien diferenciado en niños. Rev. Venez. Endocrinol. Metab. [online]. 2005, vol.3, n.1, pp.35-39. ISSN 1690-3110.

Objective: To present the case of a female adolescent admitted with findings of pulmonary illness due to miliar pulmonary metastases of thyroid cancer. Clinical Case: A girl of 13 years old with non productive cough, dyspnea, palpitations, precordial pain and decrease of weigh, since fifteen days before she consulted at the pediatric emergency. She presented with a goiter, predominantly growing of the left lobe, with a cervical adenopathy, acrocyanosis and cyanosis of her lips. Complete haematology, thyroid function and electrocardiogram were normal. The arterial gasometry showed severe hypoxia. Chest radiography showed diffuse micro and macronodular lesions. Neck ecography showed definitive regional adenopaties. Neck tomography demonstrated an image suggestive of malignancy in left thyroid lobe and the thoracic tomography showed micronodular bilateral lesions, suggestive of me- tastases. Biopsy of the cervical left adenopathy concluded in metastases of papillary thyroid cancer with follicular structures. Total thyroidectomy was performed. Levels of TSH 60 days after surgery, were slightly increased (7 uU/ml), suggesting functioning pulmonary metastases. Ablative therapy with ¹³¹I was administrated, but 6 months after it, thyroglobulin levels were elevated (300 mg/dl) and the patient is waiting for another ¹³¹I therapy session. This is the second case studied in the Endocrinology Unit at the IAHULA. Conclusions: The clinical findings of pulmonary affectation could be the first manifestations of papillary thyroid cancer in children, specially if miliar pulmonary metastases are present, worsening the prognosis.

Palabras clave : Thyroid cancer; pulmonary metastases.