Occult Thymic Carcinoma Presenting as Malignant Cardiac Tamponade

Abstract

A 66-year-old woman who presented with malignant cardiac tamponade of unknown origin was eventually found to have a tiny squamous cell carcinoma of the thymus. Thus, even a small thymic carcinoma can exhibit highly aggressive behavior. It should be included in the differential diagnosis of malignant cardiac tamponade of unknown origin.
(Internal Medicine 34: 393-395, 1995)