title: Metastatic Thymic Carcinoma Presenting as a Posterior Fossa Mass: Case Report and Review of the Literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) are uncommon lesions, and cerebral metastases from these tumors are even rarer. We report a case of a posterior fossa metastasis in a patient with a known history of thymic carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 47-year-old man with a history of Hodgkin lymphoma and thymic carcinoma presented with headache, nausea, and ataxia. Imaging revealed a large posterior fossa mass. This lesion was completely resected without complications. Pathologic examination was consistent with metastatic thymic carcinoma. The patient's symptoms were relieved postoperatively. We reviewed the literature and identified an additional 44 cases of TETs with metastases to the brain. Although brain metastases are generally associated with a poor prognosis in patients with TETs, survival of more than 1 year may be accomplished with surgical resection and multimodality treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Metastasis should be considered in the differential of a patient with a TET and an intracranial mass lesion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Brain Tumor Center at the University of Cincinnati Neuroscience Institute; and Mayfield Clinic, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Kosty
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Brain Tumor Center at the University of Cincinnati Neuroscience Institute; and Mayfield Clinic, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. Electronic address: kostyjr@ucmail.uc.edu.
authors.forename: Norberto
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Andaluz
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D015192:Infratentorial Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009375:Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Brain metastasis; Thymic carcinoma; Thymic epithelial tumor