Long-term Survival in Stage IVb Thymic Carcinoma With Multidisciplinary Aggressive Treatment

Thymic carcinoma, a rare aggressive tumor, necessitates multidisciplinary approaches for optimal prognosis. The role of surgical interventions in stage IVb thymic carcinoma, as classified by the TNM and Masaoka-Koga staging systems, remains controversial; although some patients present with resectable disease, others do not. We report a case with supraclavicular metastasis and sternal invasion. Preoperative chemoradiotherapy, followed by extended thymectomy and thorough lymph node dissection, resulted in more than a decade of postoperative recurrence-free survival. Complete resection, including metastases, is essential for achieving optimal outcomes, underscoring the need for extensive lymph node dissection. Aggressive surgical procedure is recommended for suitably selected patients.