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Ectopic thymic carcinoma presenting as an intrathoracic mass
Katsunari Matsuoka1, Yoshitake Murata2, Mitsuhiro Ueda3
1Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Hospital Organization Himeji Medical Center, Himeji City, Hyogo, Japan katccha@ares.eonet.ne.jp.
Asian Cardiovascular & Thoracic Annals
|April 14, 2016
Summary
A rare case of undifferentiated thymic carcinoma, originating from ectopic thymic tissue, was diagnosed in an asymptomatic 83-year-old man. Surgical resection led to no recurrence at two years, indicating a favorable outcome for this intrathoracic tumor.
Area of Science:
- Thoracic oncology
- Surgical pathology
Background:
- Ectopic thymic tissue can rarely give rise to malignant neoplasms.
- Intrathoracic tumors require accurate diagnosis and surgical management.
Observation:
- An 83-year-old male presented with an asymptomatic right intrathoracic mass.
- Computed tomography revealed a 55 × 25 × 22 mm soft-tissue density mass near the anterior chest wall.
- The tumor was adherent to the diaphragm, right lung, and mediastinal fat.
Findings:
- Histological examination showed spindle and sarcomatous cells with multinucleated giant cells.
- The tumor was diagnosed as undifferentiated thymic carcinoma arising from ectopic thymic tissue.
- Postoperative follow-up at 2 years showed no evidence of tumor recurrence.
Implications:
- This case highlights the importance of considering ectopic thymic tissue in the differential diagnosis of intrathoracic masses.
- Complete surgical resection appears to be an effective treatment for this rare malignancy.
- Long-term surveillance may be warranted for patients with similar diagnoses.
