Follicular variant of papillary thyroid cancer in Alström syndrome

Fam Cancer. 2015 Dec;14(4):599-602. doi: 10.1007/s10689-015-9816-x.

Abstract

Alström syndrome (AS) is an autosomal recessive disorder, characterized by cone-rod dystrophy, sensorineural hearing loss, obesity, hyperinsulinemia with insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus and progressive pulmonary, hepatic and renal dysfunction. AS is caused by mutations in the ALMS1 gene, located on the short arm of chromosome 2. We report a 35-year-old woman with known history of AS, who developed a follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma. To our knowledge this is the first association of AS with thyroid malignancy, among the approximately 450 cases reported since the first description of the syndrome. We conclude that papillary thyroid carcinoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of thyroid nodules in patients with AS.

Keywords: Alström syndrome; Follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma; Thyroid cancer; Thyroid goitre.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma, Follicular / etiology*
  • Adenocarcinoma, Follicular / pathology
  • Adult
  • Alstrom Syndrome / complications*
  • Carcinoma / etiology*
  • Carcinoma / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Papillary
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Prognosis
  • Thyroid Cancer, Papillary
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / etiology*
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / pathology