Four Cases of Malignant Pleural Effusion in Patients with Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma.

Jeon, Min Ji; Yim, Ji Hye; Kim, Eui Young; Kim, Won Gu; Kim, Tae Yong; Kim, Won Bae; Shong, Young Kee

doi:2011.26.4.330

Endocrinol Metab > Volume 26(4); 2011 > Article

Case Report

Endocrinology and Metabolism 2011;26(4):330-334.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3803/EnM.2011.26.4.330 Published online December 1, 2011.

Four Cases of Malignant Pleural Effusion in Patients with Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma.

Min Ji Jeon, Ji Hye Yim, Eui Young Kim, Won Gu Kim, Tae Yong Kim, Won Bae Kim, Young Kee Shong

Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. kimwb@amc.seoul.kr

Abstract

Papillary thyroid carcinoma could be a rare cause of malignant pleural effusion. The development of malignant pleural effusion in patients with papillary thyroid cancer is an extremely adverse prognostic indicator. Here, we report four cases that showed development of malignant pleural effusion during the clinical course of the papillary thyroid carcinoma and consider the prognosis. In four patients, the median survival time after the development of malignant pleural effusion was only 17 months.

Key Words: Malignant pleural effusion, Papillary thyroid carcinoma, Prognosis