Thymic carcinoma Case report and discussion

Abstract

Introduction. Thymic carcinoma (TC) is a rare epithelial tumor with limited knowledges of its treatment options. The overall 5-year survival in nonmetastatic one for totally resected TCs is about one third and for nonoperated one fourth of patients. From here on, it is accepted that, surgery is the first step in treatment. During diagnosis, 30% of these tumors are disseminated. The survival rate of the last group of patients is unknown, as is the best treatment approach.

Purpose. To better understand the possibility of treatment for DTC.

Subject. We report a case of primary disseminated TC (DTC) stage T1N2M1 (bra, lym, hep, oth) resistant to cytostatics, but amenable to radiotherapy. Based on the multiple uses of hypofractionated image-guided stereotactic body ablative radiotherapy (IG-SABR), we were able to maintain the patient more than for five years with good quality of life. We demonstrated that radiotherapy is the most efficacious remedy against TC.

Conclusions. Contemporary methods of irradiation and use new radiobiology data of hypofractionation in metastatic disease provide the possibility to achieve long survival of such patients with good quality of life, even in the T1N2M1 stage. Disseminated thymic carcinoma should be investigated separately from other stages and according to the TNM staging system. To better understand the possibility treatment for DTC more cases must be collected.