Two cases of malignant struma ovarii with metastasis to pelvic bone

Gynecol Obstet Invest. 2013;75(2):139-44. doi: 10.1159/000345863. Epub 2013 Feb 6.

Abstract

Histologically, malignant struma ovarii metastasizes rarely, and only a few cases reported bone metastasis. Here, we describe 2 cases of biologically malignant struma ovarii with pelvic bone metastasis. Case 1 is a 22-year-old female who was found to have a large left ovarian mass during routine prenatal ultrasound. Papillary thyroid cancer arising in struma ovarii was identified after laparoscopic salpingo-oophorectomy. After total thyroidectomy, radioactive iodine whole-body scan revealed extrathyroidal iodine uptake in left anterior pelvis. Subsequent I-131 treatment resolved the pelvic metastasis. Case 2 is a 49-year-old female who was diagnosed with malignant struma ovarii in 1996 and presented in 2007 with pelvic recurrence and extensive left hip metastasis. Treatment with resection of the pelvic tumor, total thyroidectomy, and multiple I-131 ablation led to eventual resolution of the abdominal and left hip foci. In conclusion, we present 2 rare cases of malignant struma ovarii, both with metastasis to the pelvic bone. This report makes pelvic bone the most frequent site for bone metastasis in malignant struma ovarii. It also emphasizes the importance of total thyroidectomy in allowing identification and treatment of bony metastasis with radioactive iodine.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Bone Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Bone Neoplasms / radiotherapy
  • Bone Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Bone Neoplasms / surgery
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hysterectomy
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Middle Aged
  • Multimodal Imaging
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / surgery
  • Ovariectomy
  • Pelvic Bones / diagnostic imaging
  • Pelvic Bones / pathology*
  • Pelvic Bones / surgery
  • Positron-Emission Tomography
  • Salpingectomy
  • Struma Ovarii / diagnosis
  • Struma Ovarii / pathology*
  • Struma Ovarii / surgery
  • Thyroidectomy
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Whole Body Imaging
  • Young Adult