Metastatic thymic carcinoid: a case report

Thymic neuroendocrine carcinomas (carcinoid) are rare tumors. They have malignant potential, the capacity for distant metastasis, and often present with associated endocrinopathies. This report describes a patient who was diagnosed with thymic carcinoid and Cushing syndrome at age 19 that, despite complete surgical excision of his tumor, developed local recurrence with distant metastases to his brain, lungs, and bone. We discuss the evolution of this patient's illness as well as the therapies used in his care. Due to the nature of these tumors to recur both locally and distant, the importance of aggressive surgical management is emphasized. We also discuss the role of adjuvant therapy, which in our case consisted of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and several new therapies including an antiangiogenesis agent and a tyrosine kinase inhibitor.