Disseminated Thymic Carcinoma: Case Report and Discussion on Problems of Treatment

Abstract

Thymic carcinoma (TC) is a rare epithelial malignancy often distinguished by significant local invasion and propensity for distant metastases. Representing approximately 20% of all thymic neoplasms, the primary therapeutic intervention for resectable tumors remains surgical resection. For those that are unresectable or metastatic, palliative platinum-based chemotherapy is standard. Despite these interventions, approximately 30% of these malignancies are already advanced upon initial presentation. The current 5-year survival rate for metastatic TC stands at approximately 38%, with a definitive optimal treatment regimen yet to be established. This case report delineates a comprehensive five-year clinical trajectory of a patient with advanced TC who exhibited resistance to systemic treatments but showed favorable response to stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). Through this case, we underscore the potential of SBRT as a viable therapeutic alternative for select metastatic TC patients. In our case, SBRT exhibited reliable local tumor control in each treated site with minimal side effects. To better understand the possibility of treatment options for disseminated TC more cases should be collected.