MASSIVE HEMOPTYSIS FROM AN ENDOBRONCHIAL METASTASIS OF THYROID PAPILLARY CARCINOMA

A 68-year-old female was admitted to our hospital with massive hemopty sis. She had undergone total thyroidectomy and postoperative radioisot ope therapy for thyroid papillary carcinoma associated with multiple l ung metastases one year before the present disorder. The right middle lobe was resected because of lethal airway bleeding from the lobe. Pat hological examination showed an endobronchial metastasis 30 mm in size at the segmental bronchi. Other numerous small metastatic lesions exh ibited two growth patterns: subepithelial endobronchial metastasis at the peripheral bronchi and visceral pleural metastasis. Endobronchial metastasis is an extreme type of lung metastasis of thyroid carcinoma, and can cause massive hemoptysis as the lesion increases in size.