Abstract

In this article, we report a 51-year-old patient who applied with metastatic cystic lateral neck mass. Patient was performed type 3 modified radical neck dissection including total thyroidectomy and central neck compartment. Microcarcinoma focus was detected generating from the right thyroid lobe. Paralysis was observed on the right vocal cord in the early postoperative period. Vocal cord movements improved at postoperative sixth month. Patient was administered I-131 treatment postoperatively. Regular follow-up did not reveal any finding indicating relapse for 24 months. It is rare for occult papillary thyroid cancer to progress only as cystic neck mass. Occult papillary thyroid cancer should definitely be considered in the differential diagnosis of cystic neck masses.