A Case of Thymic Squamous Cell Carcinoma Misdiagnosed as a Thyroid Cancer.
- Author:
Kyung TAE
1
;
Mi Na SONG
;
Chul Burm LEE
;
Yong Wook PARK
Author Information
1. Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea. kytae@hanyang.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
Thymic cancer;
Fine-needle aspiration biopsy;
Thyroid cancer
- MeSH:
Biopsy, Fine-Needle;
Carcinoma;
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell*;
Diagnosis;
Hoarseness;
Humans;
Mediastinum;
Neck;
Neck Dissection;
Prognosis;
Thymoma;
Thymus Gland;
Thymus Neoplasms;
Thyroid Gland*;
Thyroid Neoplasms*;
Thyroidectomy;
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
- From:Korean Journal of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
2007;50(12):1179-1183
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Thymic carcinoma is a rare tumor that develops in the anterosuperior mediastinum. The prognosis of thymic carcinoma is poor. It is often misdiagnosed as a thyroid tumor in the fine needle aspiration cytology because of its rarity and non-organotypic cytoarchitectural structure. We have experienced a case of thymic carcinoma that was misdiagnosed as a thyroid carcinoma in the clinical, radiologic and cytologic evaluation. The patient visited our department due to hoarseness. Neck and chest CT scan showed a huge mass, and we supposed a malignant thyroid tumor from lower pole of the thyroid, which extended toward the superior mediastinum. The fine needle aspiration cytologic diagnosis of the mass showed that it was anaplastic carcinoma of the thyroid. Total thyroidectomy including mass and selective neck dissection was performed. Postoperative pathologic diagnosis was squamous cell carcinoma of the thymus. So we report this case with a review of literature.
