Investigating the Link Between Ulcerative Colitis and Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma: A Case Report

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are chronic inflammatory conditions that primarily involve the gastrointestinal tract, but also cause widespread systemic inflammation. There have been multiple studies investigating the link between ulcerative colitis (UC) and crohn’s disease (CD) and thyroid diseases, as the incidence is greater than the general population.1 In addition, patients with IBD have been found to be at increased risk of developing both intestinal malignancies and extra-intestinal malignancies.2 Literature review suggests a possible connection between ulcerative colitis and papillary thyroid cancer, with most studies concluding there is a higher risk of PTC in patients with UC, but no conclusive association has been truly established.3,4 In this case study, we report a unique case of an initial diagnosis of a thyroid cancer with a subsequent diagnosis of UC.