Isolated splenic metastasis from a thymic carcinoma: A case report

Cancer Biol Ther. 2016 Sep;17(9):911-4. doi: 10.1080/15384047.2016.1210738. Epub 2016 Jul 14.

Abstract

Thymic carcinomas are rare tumors that arise in the anterior mediastinum. Most of these malignancies develop local metastases limited in the thorax. Splenic metastases from thymic carcinomas are extremely rare. Here we report a case of isolated splenic metastasis from a 38-year-old female patient with Stage IV thymic carcinoma, who was treated with chemoradiotherapy. At twenty-2 months follow-up, the patient was found to have an isolated spleen metastasis, which was treated by Cyberknife with a reduced size of the metastasis, representing a partial response. Although splenic metastasis is a rare phenomenon, physicians need to be aware of the possibility of such metastases.

Keywords: Chemotherapy; PET/CT; SBRT; oligometastasis; radiation; spleen metastasis; thymic carcinoma.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Splenic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Splenic Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Splenic Neoplasms / therapy
  • Thymoma / pathology*
  • Thymus Neoplasms / pathology*