"MISSED" AND NEGLECTED PAPILLARY THYROID CARCINOMA: A CLINICAL CASE

Abstract

The article describes a clinical case of a "missed" and neglected case of papillary thyroid carcinoma in a patient born in 1992. According to the patient's medical history, she had been under observation for more than 10 years (since 2013) by doctors of various specialties (family physician, endocrinologist, oncologist, ultrasound specialist, obstetrician-gynecologist, etc.). However, it was only in 2023 that an ultrasound raised suspicions of papillary thyroid carcinoma with metastases to the cervical lymph nodes. The diagnosis was confirmed by a biopsy. A prolonged surgical intervention followed by radioiodine therapy led to the patient's complete recovery. A notable aspect of this case is the extended period of observation and the lack of oncological vigilance among doctors of different specialties, which resulted in the neglected state of the disease. Therefore, in cases of persistently enlarged cervical lymph nodes, it is necessary to refer patients to medical institutions specializing in thyroid or neck disorders to establish an accurate diagnosis.