Anaplastic carcinoma in submandibular region: A diagnostic dilemma.

Introduction: Thyroid carcinoma arising in an extrathyroid area is a rare entity.

Presentation Of Case: We report a case of anaplastic carcinoma in the submandibular region occurring in a 70-year-old woman.

Discussion: The location of the mass along with no evidence of primary tumor at the orthotopic thyroid gland posed a diagnostic dilemma: was this an ectopic thyroid carcinoma or rather a case of occult differentiated thyroid carcinoma metastasis that transformed to anaplastic carcinoma? Based on the histopathological findings we concluded that the tumor arised in ectopic thyroid tissue.