Occult Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Masquerading as Cervical Lymphadenopathy in a 14–Year–Old Female: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

John Adetunji Omotayo^1, , Joshua Taye Ige², Ademola Idowu Soremekun³, Joshua Seye Olorunfunmi² and Olugbenga Tosin Alade¹

¹Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria

²Department of Surgery, Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria

³Department of Morbid Anatomy & Forensic Medicine, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile–Ife, Nigeria

Cite this paper:
John Adetunji Omotayo, Joshua Taye Ige, Ademola Idowu Soremekun, Joshua Seye Olorunfunmi and Olugbenga Tosin Alade. Occult Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Masquerading as Cervical Lymphadenopathy in a 14–Year–Old Female: A Case Report and Review of the Literature. American Journal of Medical Case Reports. 2026; 14(6):61-63. doi: 10.12691/ajmcr-14-6-1

Abstract

Cervical lymphadenopathy is a common clinical presentation of reactive changes and hematological malignancies. In the tropics, tuberculosis has been reported by several authors as the leading cause of lymph node enlargement in adults. Pediatric thyroid carcinoma is rare. It accounts for 1.5–3% of all carcinomas in the USA and Europe. Cervical lymphadenopathy is an unusual clinical presentation of thyroid carcinoma, especially in the absence of palpable thyroid enlargement. Thyroid carcinoma is the most prevalent endocrine cancer in the world. Papillary thyroid carcinoma is the most common histologic type of thyroid carcinoma. It accounts for 80 to 85% of all thyroid cancer cases. The primary risk factors include exposure to radiation, genetic predisposition, high dietary iodine intake, and exposure to other environmental factors. High levels of iodine trigger rapid cell division of thyroid follicular cells and promote gene mutation. Occult presentation in the form of metastasis to the cervical lymph node without a palpable thyroid mass is even rarer, and this made the clinical diagnosis very challenging. A high index of suspicion is required in the diagnosis and management of head and neck masses.

Keywords:
Papillary thyroid cancer Metastasis Lymph Node

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