Papillary Thyroid Cancer in a Patient With Graves' Disease and Hyperfunctioning (Hot) Thyroid Nodules: An Unexpected Presentation

Cureus. 2024 Jul 11;16(7):e64373. doi: 10.7759/cureus.64373. eCollection 2024 Jul.

Abstract

Hyperfunctioning (hot) nodules are considered benign while cold nodules are associated with a higher risk of thyroid cancer. In this case report, we present a patient diagnosed with Graves' disease and later found to have papillary thyroid carcinoma (Bethesda VI), confirmed by fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy, with regional metastasis to the neck and possible metastasis to the lungs. This paper demonstrates that hot nodules are not always benign, and could be associated with malignancy.

Keywords: graves' disease; hot nodules; papillary carcinoma of thyroid; thyroid cancer; thyroid nodule; thyroid-stimulating hormone; thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin (tsi); ultrasonography.

Publication types

  • Case Reports