title: Difficulties in diagnosis and treatment of thymic adenocarcinoma producing beta-human chorionic gonadotropin in anterior mediastinum.
abstract: A 68-year-old man with dyspnea and chest pain on left anterior chest during inspiration visited our hospital. An anterior mediastinal mass was detected on a chest computed tomography (CT) and we considered performing surgical treatment. Since the beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-hCG) level was increased to 20.46 mIU/ml on the preoperative blood test, incisional biopsy was performed through a Chamberlain incision to rule out the mediastinal germ cell tumors. After diagnosing a benign mass on the postoperative pathological examination of the incisional biopsy specimen, total thymectomy that included the mass was performed via a full sternotomy. On the pathological examination after the second operation, the tumor was diagnosed as thymic adenocarcinoma producing beta-hCG, and the tumor had originated from the thymus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Mulgum-eup, Beomeo-ri, Yangsan, Kyeongsangnamdo, Korea. mdtrimy@gmail.com
authors.forename: Yong Joon
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Ra
authors.forename: Mi-Ju
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.forename: Yun Seong
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kyung Un
authors.initials: KU
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D001706:Biopsy; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human / Q000097:blood*; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D056346:Sternotomy; D019616:Thoracic Surgical Procedures; D013934:Thymectomy; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human