Thymic carcinoma presenting as cranial metastasis with intradural and extracranial extension: case report.

OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE

Thymic carcinoma is an uncommon malignant tumor that is different from thymoma. Cranial and brain metastases from this tumor are extremely rare. We report a thymic carcinoma with cranial metastasis and discuss the behavior of this tumor.

CLINICAL PRESENTATION

A 50-year-old man presented with headache and a palpable scalp tumor. Computed tomographic scans and magnetic resonance images revealed an osteolytic tumor with intradural and extracranial extension in the right occipital bone.

INTERVENTION

After gross total resection and histological diagnosis, further investigation revealed a primary thymic tumor in the anterior upper mediastinum and liver metastases. The patient received multiple-cycle chemotherapy (cisplatin and gemcitabine) for primary and metastatic lesions.

CONCLUSION

Thymic carcinoma has a poor prognosis because of a high degree of malignancy, early metastasis, and delayed diagnosis. Thus, treatment of a patient with this tumor calls for prompt diagnosis, surgical treatment, and optimal adjuvant therapy.