Professional paper
Primary Diagnosis of an Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma by the Dentist: Case Report
Hasan Hatipoglu
; Dental Clinic/Periodontology, Main Campus, Dumlupinar University, Research and Training Hospital, Kutahya, Turkey
Faik Yaylak
; Dept. of General Surgery, Main Campus, Dumlupinar University, Research and Training Hospital, Kutahya, Turkey
Mujgan Gungor Hatipoglu
; Dental Clinic/Oral Diagnosis and Radiology, Main Campus, Dumlupinar University, Research and Training Hospital, Kutahya, Turkey
Abstract
A thorough/systematic medical history taking and extra-/intraoral examination is essential in the primary evaluation and in the management of the patients with any neck and facial pathology in the dental clinics. This approach is crucial in the initial evaluation and the management of the patients with several clinical conditions which may be frequently diagnosed primarily by the dentist in the neck and prevent unnecessary therapeutic interventions in the dental clinics. In this case report, an 85 years old female, who was primarily diagnosed with anaplastic carcinoma of the thyroid gland after initial evaluation for pain in the middle mandibular region in our dental clinic, was presented. Medical history was not specific except hypertension. In thorough intraoral examination no pathology was observed to explain the pain. Maxillary jaw was edentulous. In extra oral examination cervical asymmetry due to an unrecognized mass in the left thyroidal lobe with the enlargement of the left inferior cervical lymph nodes was noted. No dental therapeutic intervention was planned in the dental clinic. After diagnostic workup the patient was treated with total thyroidectomy without cervical dissection. Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma was confirmed with histopathological examination. This case was interesting to recall the importance of the thorough/systemic medical history taking and extra-/intraoral examination in the initial evaluation of the patients in the dental clinic, which should not be ignored to prevent unnecessary interventions in the dental clinics.
Keywords
diagnosis, oral; physical examination; thyroid neoplasms; dental clinics
Hrčak ID:
30531
URI
Publication date:
11.12.2008.
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