Diagnostic dilemma: A case of ectopic cervical thymoma

Abstract

The occurrence of thymomas in ectopic locations is a highly unusual phenomenon. There are only 131 cases of ectopic thymoma reported in medical literature to date, none of which originate from Philippine data. A treatment algorithm is yet to be developed for ectopic cervical thymomas. This study illustrates the case of a 33 year old Filipino female presenting with a slowly enlarging anterior neck mass for two years duration with a biopsy result of lymphocytic thyroiditis. This cytologic finding of ectopic cervical thymomas makes it a common diagnostic pitfall for more common neck lesions such as thyroiditis or lymphoma. Due to its low incidence and the absence of any specific clinical features, ectopic thymomas are often mistaken for more common pathologic processes and may only be diagnosed correctly after surgical resection. Awareness of the existence of ectopic thymomas and its histological spectrum may be of help in its diagnosis. A high index of suspicion is recommended in the evaluation of an anterior neck mass with incongruent findings.