A case of large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the thymus involving a patient with long-term survival after surgery

Abstract

A 47-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital due to chest pain and a mediastinal mass on a chest radiograph. Chest computed tomography (CT) showed a 52×48-mm mass in the superior mediastinum. The mass adhered to the right mediastinal pleura and pericardium. Minimal pleural effusion was detected. Positron emission tomography (PET)-CT showed the accumulation of FDG (SUV max: 5.34) in the mass. Extended thymectomy was performed. The pathological diagnosis was large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the thymus, and was classified as a stage I tumor based on Masaoka's classification. She survived without any sign of recurrence for 70 months after surgery.