Squamous cell carcinoma paradox in thyroid

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in the thyroid is extremely unusual, contributing to less than 1% of all primary thyroid carcinomas. It may be primary SCC of thyroid gland or secondary spread to the gland, owing to direct extension of SCC from neighboring structures or distant metastases. Most of the cases of thyroid malignancy present as a rapidly expanding mass in the neck, followed by symptoms of invasion and compression of nearby structures. This case report presents an atypical presentation of SCC in the thyroid gland. In this study, the patient presented with a huge thyroid swelling, with minimal dysphagia, mimicking a primary thyroid malignancy; unusually, the primary lesion in the esophagus was much smaller and found on endoscopic evaluation.