A Case of Pleural Metastasis 6 Years after Complete Surgical Resection of Invasive Thymoma

Abstract

Herein, we report a case of recurrent pleural metastasis after complete resection of invasive thymoma that was successfully treated with surgical resection. Thymoma and thymic carcinoma are uncommon neoplasms derived from the epithelial cells of the thymus. Approximately 30% to 50% of thymomas are asymptomatic at the time of diagnosis. However, these cancers may present with constitutional or local pressure symptoms and sometimes with paraneoplastic syndromes, especially myasthenia gravis. Surgical resection is the mainstay of thymoma treatment and has been shown to remarkably improve long-term survival. Despite complete resection, local recurrences are frequent, and surgery is the cornerstone of therapy even in cases of recurrent thymoma. We experienced a 67-year-old male patient with pleural metastasis that developed 6 years after complete surgical resection of invasive thymoma. The pleural mass was excised by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. Histopathological examination revealed an invasive World Health Organization (WHO) type B2 thymoma.

18F FDG-PET/CT of malignant thymoma with pleural and diaphragmatic metastases

“…Distant metastasis from invasive thymoma is distinctly rare but has been reported to occur in the lungs, pleura, diaphragm, liver, bones, kidney, extra thoracic lymph nodes, pelvis, retroperitoneum, and the nervous system. [ 2 3 ] Imaging plays an essential role in the diagnosis, staging, and follow-up of thymoma. Positron emission tomography (PET) has an invaluable role in confirming the diagnosis of an invasive malignant thymoma.…”