title: Thymoma with an incidental benign laryngeal mass mimicking laryngeal carcinoma: Case report.
abstract: Thymic carcinomas are rarely seen. Because of recurrent laryngeal nerve involvement, hoarseness is a common presenting symptom. Persistent hoarseness in a male smoker past his fifth decade is also a distinctive symptom for laryngeal carcinoma. Stroboscopic laryngeal examination and biopsy are required for the diagnosis. In this article we describe a case involving a patient with thymic carcinoma who, interestingly, also presented with a benign laryngeal mass with unilateral vocal fold fixation. We emphasize the importance of keeping in mind nonlaryngeal pathologies invading the recurrent laryngeal nerve in patients with persistent hoarseness and a nonspesific laryngeal mass.
authors.affiliation: Corresponding author: Gokce Simsek, MD, Ear Nose Throat Clinic, Kırıkkale University Faculty of Medicine, Kırıkkale, Turkey 71450. Email: drgokceozelsimsek@yahoo.com From the Ear Nose Throat Clinic (Dr. Simsek, Dr. Akin, and Dr. Saka) and the Pathology Clinic (Dr. Koybasioglu), Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Training and Research Hospital, Ministry of Health, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gokce
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Simsek
authors.forename: Istemihan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Akin
authors.forename: Cem
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Saka
authors.forename: Fulya
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Koybasioglu
mesh_terms: D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003390:Cranial Nerve Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006685:Hoarseness / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D033162:Incidental Findings; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007830:Larynx / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012009:Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve / Q000473:pathology; D013945:Thymoma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014827:Vocal Cords