Pulmonary metastasis 12 years after resection of thymoma with microscopic capsule invasion

Jpn J Clin Oncol. 2004 Oct;34(10):630-3. doi: 10.1093/jjco/hyh105.

Abstract

We report on a 50-year-old female who developed pulmonary metastasis 12 years following the resection of a thymoma with microscopic capsular invasion. The patient was found to have a mediastinal mass at the age of 18 years; however, she refused to undergo surgery. At the age of 38 years, the patient underwent surgery for resection of the tumor; it was diagnosed as a macroscopically encapsulated thymoma with microscopic capsular invasion. Multiple pulmonary metastases occurred 12 years following the resection of the tumor; all the metastatic masses were resected. Although the patient suffered from myasthenia gravis 4 months following the resection of pulmonary metastases, she remains free of myasthenia gravis with no recurrence of tumor at 2 years post-surgery. Long-term follow-up is essential for the detection of recurrence after resection of a thymoma with microscopic capsular invasion, and surgery could be the best treatment for distant metastasis in case of resectable lesions.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Lung Neoplasms / surgery
  • Middle Aged
  • Myasthenia Gravis / drug therapy
  • Myasthenia Gravis / etiology*
  • Pneumonectomy
  • Postoperative Complications
  • Pyridostigmine Bromide / therapeutic use
  • Thymectomy*
  • Thymoma / secondary
  • Thymoma / surgery*
  • Thymus Neoplasms / pathology
  • Thymus Neoplasms / surgery*

Substances

  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors
  • Pyridostigmine Bromide