[Metastases of the thyroid gland--morphology and clinical aspects of 25 secondary thyroid neoplasms].

Morphological and clinical findings in 25 secondary tumours of the thyroid are described. The most common sources of such lesions were the kidneys (32%), lung (28%) and breast (20%). In the majority of cases, thyroidectomy was performed prior to identification and treatment of the primary cancer. Conversely, among renal cell carcinomas, the metastatic lesion frequently appeared many years after resection of the primary tumour. This suggests that secondary thyroid tumours occasionally may be the only important malignant disease remaining. Hence, adequate surgical treatment may prove to be life-prolonging or life-saving.