Parotid gland involvement as an initial presentation of papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most differentiated malignant thyroid neoplasm. Local metastases of PTC commonly occur in the regional lymph nodes, while distant metastases are mainly to the lung and bone. The case of a patient with PTC who presented with swelling of the parotid gland and neck, mimicking a primary parotid neoplasm, is presented herein. This case is unique due to the unexpected initial presentation of PTC with no signs of disease in the thyroid gland.