Aim: To emphasise the pattern of lymphatic dissemination in the parapharyngeal space from thyroid cancer.
Patients and method: Among 696 patients treated for thyroid cancer between 1986 and 2001, parapharyngeal metastasis was diagnosed in three patients, previously treated for papillary thyroid carcinoma.
Results: All three patients have been treated by surgical resection through lateral cervical approach. Two of them were controlled regionally whereas the remaining one had a submucosal pharyngeal metastasis locally resected 27 months after parapharyngeal resection.
Conclusions: Parapharyngeal metastasis is rare, but should be a recognized pattern of lymphatic dissemination from thyroid carcinoma to avoid unnecessary radioiodine and because surgical resection is efficacious with acceptable morbidity.