Treatment of Ectopic Thyroid Carcinomas in Cranial Mediastinum by Surgical Resection in 3 Dogs

Ectopic thyroid carcinomas in cranial mediastinum were diagnosed and surgically removed in 3 dogs. All carcinomas were non-infiltrating to the surrounding tissues, and neither metastasis nor pleural effusion were found on computed tomography. Pathological examinations of the cytology samples in all 3 dogs and needle core samples in 1 dog were carried out prior to the surgery. The dogs survived on 1,050, 2,925, and 1,420 days without recurrence or metastasis. Although more cases would be needed, those ectopic thyroid carcinomas in cranial mediastinum without local infiltration into surrounding tissues or metastasis might be considered to carry good prognosis if diagnosed and surgically removed early.