Thymic carcinoma presenting with overlap polyarthritis and myositis: A rare paraneoplastic syndrome in childhood
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Published on: April 3, 2011
Çisem Yıldız1, Büşra Topuz Türkcan2, Özge Vural2
1Department of Pediatric Rheumatology, Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
Insights
Pediatric thymic carcinoma is rare, but can present with paraneoplastic syndromes. This case highlights a thymic carcinoma mimicking connective tissue disease with polyarthritis and myositis.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Pediatrics
- Pathology
Background:
- Thymic tumors are rare pediatric mediastinal neoplasms, accounting for <1% of cases.
- Paraneoplastic syndromes, including connective tissue disorders, rarely manifest in children with thymic tumors.
Observation:
- A 15-year-old male presented with symptoms mimicking connective tissue disease: symmetrical polyarthritis, myositis, fever, weight loss, and malaise.
- The patient was diagnosed with thymic carcinoma.
Findings:
- This is the first reported case of pediatric thymic carcinoma presenting with severe polyarthritis and myopathy.
- The thymic malignancy mimicked symptoms of a connective tissue disorder.
Implications:
- This case expands the spectrum of paraneoplastic syndromes associated with pediatric thymic malignancies.
- Highlights the importance of considering rare diagnoses in pediatric patients with unexplained systemic symptoms.
Abstract:
Thymic tumors are very rare neoplasms in children and account for less than 1% of mediastinal tumors in pediatric patients. One-third of the pediatric patients present with symptoms related to the compression of the tumor mass on the surrounding anatomic structures, and paraneoplastic syndromes such as myasthenia gravis, pure red cell aplasia, acquired hypogammaglobulinemia, and connective tissue disorders, which rarely occur in children with thymic tumors. Herein, we report a case of thymic carcinoma mimicking the symptoms of a connective tissue disease with symmetrical polyarthritis accompanying myositis, fever, weight loss, and malaise in a 15-year-old male patient. To our knowledge, this is the first case pediatric thymic carcinoma accompany with severe polyarthritis and myopathy, thus we have reviewed the current literature regarding the cases of thymic malignancies coexisting with paraneoplastic syndromes in children.
