We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Thymoma with an isolated splenic metastasis eight years after extended thymectomy: a case report.
- Authors
Aoki, Yuichi; Miki, Atsushi; Nakano, Tomoyuki; Sasanuma, Hideki; Sakuma, Yasunaru; Horie, Hisanaga; Hosoya, Yoshinori; Fukushima, Noriyoshi; Lefor, Alan Kawarai; Sata, Naohiro
- Abstract
<bold>Background: </bold>Thymomas are typically slow-growing tumors and AB type thymomas are considered no/low risk tumors with a better prognosis. Extra-thoracic metastases are extremely rare. To the best of our knowledge, no patient with an isolated splenic metastasis from a thymoma has been reported. We report a patient who underwent laparoscopic splenectomy for a slow-growing, isolated splenic metastasis, eight years after thymectomy.<bold>Case Presentation: </bold>The patient is a 78-year-old man. Eight years previously, the patient underwent extended thymectomy and postoperative radiation therapy for a thymoma. Five years after thymectomy, a nodule appeared in the spleen, and the lesion enlarged gradually for three years thereafter. The patient was referred for further examination and treatment. Computed tomography scan showed a sharply circumscribed 50 mm tumor slightly hypodense and heterogeneous lesion in the spleen. On T2-weighted images on Magnetic Resonance Imaging, the tumor had high intensity, equivalent to or slightly lower than that on T1-weighted images, and no decrease on diffusion-weighted images. The tumor was multinodular and showed a low-signal spoke-wheel sign in the margin, enhanced gradually in the dynamic study. Positron emission tomography-CT scan, showed relatively low accumulation. Surgical resection was undertaken, and pathological examination showed metastatic thymoma. The patient is without recurrence and has no other symptoms three years after splenectomy.<bold>Conclusions: </bold>This is the first report of an isolated splenic metastasis from a thymoma. Further cases are needed to standardize this surgery for such lesions.
- Publication
BMC Cancer, 2018, Vol 18, Issue 1, p1249
- ISSN
1471-2407
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.1186/s12885-018-5165-0