Thymic Origin Neuroendocrine Carcinoma Metastasizing to the Orbit in an Otherwise Asymptomatic Patient

Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg. 2016 Jan-Feb;32(1):e21-3. doi: 10.1097/IOP.0000000000000375.

Abstract

A 39-year-old man without a significant medical history developed headaches, OS swelling, and limited left-sided ocular motility. An ultrasound of the left orbit and head MRI revealed a retro-orbital mass. A partial left anterior orbitotomy with partial resection was performed, and histopathologic examination of the resected tumor portion was suggestive of a neuroendocrine carcinoma. A large, anterior mediastinal mass was found on chest imaging, and the patient was diagnosed with a primary thymic neuroendocrine tumor. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of an otherwise healthy patient presenting with the mass effects of a thymic neuroendocrine carcinoma metastasis to the orbital tissues before detection of the primary thymic malignancy.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism
  • Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / metabolism
  • Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / secondary*
  • Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / surgery
  • Chemoradiotherapy
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Neoplasm Proteins / metabolism
  • Orbit / surgery
  • Orbital Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Orbital Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Orbital Neoplasms / surgery
  • Positron-Emission Tomography
  • Thymus Neoplasms / pathology*

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Neoplasm Proteins