title: Bursting metastasis in thymic carcinoma.
abstract: Thymic carcinomas (primitive malignant epithelial neoplasms of the thymus) are rare tumors which generally remain silent for long periods and rarely metastatize outside the chest. The authors present a case of a 49 year-old patient, with mediastinal mass complicated by pericardial effusion and rapidly extensive liver metastasis. Data in the literature indicate that completeness of the excision at initial operation is the most important prognostic factor, but the presence of necrosis, high number of mitosis and endolymphatic emboli in the specimens could indicate a poor prognosis, suggesting a tempestive treatment and a close follow-up.
authors.affiliation: School of Medical Oncology, University of Udine, Udine, 33100, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aprile
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Agostinis
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Maurizio
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Soardo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pizzolitto
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bartoli
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary*; D008297:Male; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary; D008875:Middle Aged; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D013945:Thymoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary*; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed