Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the thyroid with complete response to radical radiotherapy and concurrent cisplatin-based chemotherapy

Chemoradiotherapy and/or surgery are both potentially radical treatments for squamous cell carcinomas. Squamous cell carcinomas are considered chemosensitive tumours compared to adenocarcinomas or anaplastic thyroid malignancies. A 76-year-old man was found to have T4bN0M0 primary squamous cell carcinoma of the thyroid with encasement of the internal carotid artery. The disease was deemed unresectable. Therefore, he was treated with radical radiotherapy with concurrent cisplatin-based chemotherapy. We discuss herein the aetiology, diagnosis and management of primary squamous cell carcinoma of the thyroid. We demonstrate success of chemoradiotherapy in an unresectable case of a rare and aggressive disease.

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