Primary tracheal lymphoma with thyroid carcinoma

Abstract

Malignant lymphoma (ML) and papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) are the most common hematological and endocrine malignancies. However, ML originating from the intratracheal region is rare, with few reported cases in the literature. We report a case of a 57-year-old woman with double primary cancer, consisting of ML of the intratracheal region and PTC in the isthmus. She complained of hoarseness and exertional dyspnea. Adjacent tumors through the anterior tracheal wall were initially considered as tracheal invasion of the thyroid carcinoma. However, MRI and PET-CT suggested that these tumors had different radiological signs. We performed thyroidectomy and biopsy of the intratracheal tumor with a tracheostomy. Pathological examination revealed PTC and CD-5-positive B-cell indolent intratracheal lymphoma. She received weekly infusions of rituximab for eight weeks after surgery. The intratracheal ML showed complete response, and the tracheocutaneous fistula was closed six months after the initial surgery.

Keywords

• Double cancer
• tracheal lymphoma
• head and neck
• malignant lymphoma
• thyroid carcinoma