[A rare case of large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the thymus]

A 46-year-old man presented with chest pain at a local hospital in July 2007. Chest computed tomography (CT) showed a 48-mm mass in the anterior mediastinum. CT-guided percutaneous tumor biopsy demonstrated large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the thymus. He was referred to our hospital in August 2007. Because the tumor had already progressed to stage IVb according to the Masaoka classification of thymic epithelial tumors, the patient was treated with combination chemotherapy of cisplatin and irinotecan, which achieved a partial response. However, the tumor relapsed in February 2008. He died, despite 2 separate cycles of chemotherapy with docetaxel only and amrubicin only in August 2008. We encountered a rare case of large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the thymus treated with combination chemotherapy of cisplatin and irinotecan.