Thymic carcinoma in a 2-year-old child: case description and literature review

Abstract

Thymic carcinoma (TC) belongs to a group of rare thymic epithelial tumours (TETs) arising from the anterior mediastinum. One of the most relevant established prognostic factors is complete surgical resection. Given the high invasive potential of TC a lot of patents at the diagnosis present with a locally advanced or metastatic disease, therefore complete resection could not be achieved, and a role of systemic therapy is increasing. Due to the rarity of this tumor type in children and adolescents, treatment approaches based on the guidelines for management of TETs in adults. In this article we report a case of TC in a 2-year-old boy. The literature review describes the current histological classification of the TET, approaches for systemic chemotherapy and local control in patients with TC.