Commonly forgotten complication of Hashimoto's thyroiditis

BMJ Case Rep. 2016 Oct 26:2016:bcr2016217568. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2016-217568.

Abstract

Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) is a frequently encountered condition in clinical practice and management is generally uncomplicated with patients on a stable dose of thyroxine supplementation. However, complications of thyroid lymphoma can develop, though it is rare and hence commonly forgotten by physicians. We present a case of a patient with HT who developed thyroid lymphoma. A 61-year-old woman presented with an enlarged goitre complicated by compressive symptoms and was diagnosed with HT. She was treated with stable dose of thyroxine but her constitutional symptoms of weight loss prompted further investigations and diagnosis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma was eventually made. She underwent chemotherapy and adjuvant radiotherapy and is currently in remission 1 year post-treatment. There should be an increased index of suspicion of primary thyroid lymphoma in patients with HT for early diagnosis and treatment for better outcomes.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Diagnostic Imaging
  • Female
  • Hashimoto Disease / complications*
  • Humans
  • Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / diagnostic imaging
  • Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / etiology*
  • Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / therapy
  • Middle Aged
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / etiology*
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / therapy