Metastatic lung tumor developing 15 years after resection of invasive thymoma

A 57-year-old man with myasthenia gravis had undergone extended thymothymomectomy for invasive thymoma and postoperative irradiation 15 years ago. At present, an abnormal shadow on his left lung field on chest X-ray and an elevated SCC-Ag level led us to suspect primary lung cancer (squamous cell lung cancer). He underwent left lower lobectomy and partial resection of the upper lobe. After the operation, this tumor was indentified pathologically as a thymoma. Comparing this tumor with the previous invasive thymoma, we concluded that the present lesion was a metastasis of the former thymoma. This case suggests that a metastatic lung tumor should be suspected when an abnormal shadow is detected on chest X-ray following extended thymothymomectomy for invasive thymoma.     

Complete resection of the invasive thymoma combined with replacement of aortic arch and pneumonectomy

A 68-year-old male was found an abnormal shadow on chest X-ray and was diagnosed as thymoma by computed tomography (CT)-guided needle biopsy. As the tumor invaded the aortic arch, left main pulmonary artery and the lung, thymectomy combined resection of the surrounding tissues was performed for the complete resection. The aortic arch was replaced with cardiovascular graft under cardiopulmonary bypass, with the aid of selective cerebral perfusion. The left pneumonectomy was performed because the tumor invaded to the left main pulmonary artery and to the lung parenchyma. Masaoka stage III and histologic type B2 were diagnosed according to the World Health Organization classification. The patient has been well without recurrence or metastasis after the surgery for 2 years. A complete resection of the thymoma invaded to great vessels should be performed to expect for the good curability and prognosis.     

Invasive thymoma with thymic cyst; report of a case

A 27-year-old woman was pointed out an abnormal shadow on chest X-ray in 1999. Because of the enlargement of the chest abnormal shadow, she was admitted to our hospital in 2000. Chest computed tomography (CT) revealed anterior mediastinal solid mass with cystic lesion. A thymoma was suspected. The tumor was removed in June 2000, through a longitudinal incision of the sternum. There was a severe adhesion between the tumor and the right brachiocephalic vein. Histological examination revealed a thymoma with thymic cyst. The thymoma had a capsular invasion (stage II). There were few reports for cases of thymoma with thymic cyst.     

Pleuropneumonectomy with thymectomy for invasive thymoma with pleural disseminations--a case report

A case of invasive thymoma with pleural disseminations, treated with pleuropneumonectomy and thymectomy , is presented. A 30-year-old woman was admitted with abnormal shadows in left lung field and mediastinum. On chest CT examination, the tumor shadows were located anterior mediastinum and left chest wall. Thymoma with pleural disseminations was the most likely consideration by the needle biopsy specimen of the tumor under left chest wall. Preoperative radiotherapy for anterior mediastinum mass was effective. Pleuropneumonectomy and thymectomy combined with partial resections of intercostal muscles and diaphragm were performed. Histologically, the tumor was arranged in lobular structure, composed of epithelial cells, with poorly infiltration of lymphocytes, and invaded into intercostal muscles or lung. Postoperative radiotherapy for mediastinum and left chest wall was added. Tumors may be removed completely by pan-pleuropneumonectomy and thymectomy for invasive thymoma with pleural disseminations.     

Thymic carcinoma incidentally detected on routine chest computed tomography; report of a case

We reported a case of thymic carcinoma. A 61-year-old man was admitted to evaluate an abnormal shadow of lung field by chest X-ray. Routine chest computed tomography (CT) showed no abnormal findings on the lung field, but thymic tumor was incidentally detected. We suspected thymoma, performed a mediansternotomy and thymectomy with partial resection of pericardium. Pathological findings diagnosed undifferentiated carcinoma (large cell type) of thymus, the patient underwent radiation therapy of the mediastinum at a total dosage of 50 Gy and chemotherapy [cisplatin (CDDP) + vinorelbine ditartrate + mitomycin C (MMC)]. He has been doing well without recurrence for 2 years after the operation.     

A case of thoracoscopic resection of a pulmonary infarction mimicking a metastatic lung tumor]

We report here a rare case of pulmonary infarction which was resected as a metastatic pulmonary tumor. A 57-year-old male patient referred for exhibiting an abnormal shadow on chest X-ray 8 months after the resection of invasive adrenal tumor. The patient underwent thoracoscopic resection of the lesion as a metastatic tumor. However, intraoperative pathological examination revealed that the resected specimen was pulmonary infarction. Post-operative MRI and ultrasound images showed no evidence of venous thrombus. Pulmonary infarction can exhibit an abnormal shadow in the lung fields, and it is necessary to be distinguished from true tumor.     

Lung cancer with both sarcoid reaction and metastasis in the mediastinal lymph nodes; report of a case

A 66-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for detailed investigation of an abnormal shadow on his chest X-ray. Chest radiography and computed tomography(CT) of the chest showed mediastinal lymphadenopathy and a tumor shadow in the left upper lobe. Biopsy of the mediastinal lymph nodes by mediastinoscopy showed that sarcoid nodules existed in all the biopsies nodes. Therefore, the lymphadenopathy was thought to be sarcoidosis or sarcoid reaction accompanied with lung cancer. Left upper lobectomy and dissection of hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes were performed. Although sarcoid nodules were seen in all the dissected lymph nodes, the cancer involved #5 and #14 lymph nodes. He died of brain metastasis 10 months after surgery.     

Surgically removed thoracolithiasis: report of two cases.

Thoracolithiasis is a rare condition with only 12 cases of surgically removed nodules reported in the literature. We report 2 additional cases. Case 1: A 19-year-old male admitted with an abnormal shadow on a chest X-ray. Computed tomography (CT) revealed a nodule in the right lower lung lobe. The material extirpated by thoracoscopy was milky white, glossy, and 1.6 cm in diameter. Histopathologically, it consisted of fatty necrotic tissue covered with hyalinized fibrous tissue. Case 2: A 78-year-old female, with a past history of breast cancer, admitted with an abnormal shadow on chest X-ray. CT revealed a nodule in the left lung S(1+2) segment, of which transbronchial biopsy findings indicated primary lung adenocarcinoma. Exploratory thoracoscopy incidentally revealed some pearly material, 0.4 cm in diameter, in the thoracic cavity. They were extirpated during left upper lobectomy for lung cancer; all of them demonstrated concentric hyalinized fibrous tissue. Thoracic surgeons should consider this condition in the differential diagnosis of a peripheral pulmonary nodule.     

Lung Metastasis of Thymoma Manifesting as Myasthenia Gravis 12 Years After Thymomectomy: Report of a Case

A 51-year-old woman, who had undergone thymomectomy for asymptomatic noninvasive thymoma 12 years before, was admitted to our hospital with blepharoptosis caused by myasthenia gravis. A chest computed tomogram (CT) showed an abnormal shadow in the right lower lung field and CT-guided needle biopsy revealed findings of a thymoma. We performed extended thymectomy and partial resection of the right lung using three different approaches, via a cervical incision and bilateral video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. The resected specimen was a lung metastasis of thymoma, and the residual mediastinal tissue showed no sign of malignancy. Because thymoma and post-thymomectomy myasthenia gravis can both recur, we recommend performing extended thymectomy or thymothymectomy, even for patients who are asymptomatic.     

Two cases of pulmonary leiomyosarcoma

Pulmonary sarcoma is a rare tumor of the lung. There are 81 cases in the literature for review, including our two cases. Our first case who was a thirty-seven year old male who was admitted to our hospital with complaints of left back pain. His chest X-ray showed an 11 X 14 cm tumor shadow in the lower left lung area. A left upper lobectomy was performed, and the histological diagnosis was leiomyosarcoma of the pulmonary vein. He died due to mediastinal recurrence 29 months later. Our other case was a fifty-six year old female. Her chest X-ray showed an abnormal shadow that was a tumor shadow in the right central lung area of 4 cm in diameter. As the diagnosis of the transcutaneous lung biopsy was benign tumor, partial resection of lung was performed. The histological diagnosis was leiomyosarcoma of the bronchus, and she is alive and well at 29 months after the operation. As the rate of diagnosis in leiomyosarcoma detected by transcutaneous lung biopsy is low, the most acceptable method of diagnosis is a total examination, including cytology of sputum, bronchoscopic findings, and roentgenoscopy. Probe thoracotomy would also be necessary if malignancy could not ruled out. The treatment of lobectomy should include lymph node resection.     

Lung metastasis of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor: report of a case

A 37-year-old man with von Recklinghausen's disease admitted to our hospital because of chest abnormal shadow. He had underwent extended radical tumorectomy for malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) in left lower limb 33 months before. Chest X-ray and computed tomography (CT) scan revealed solitary tumor on right S10. Tumor was resected under thoracoscopic surgery. Histological diagnosis was metastasis of MPNST. MPNST with lung metastasis showing very poor prognosis. The patient is doing well 2 years after pulmonary resection without recurrence. Careful follow up is important for MPNST.     

Desmoid tumor of the chest wall following chest surgery: Report of a case

Desmoid tumors of the chest wall following chest surgery are a rare occurrence. A case of this disease is reported herein together with a review of the literature. A 74-year-old man, who had previously undergone a right lower lobectomy for squamous cell carcinoma of the lung, was referred to our hospital with an abnormal shadow on his chest X-ray. The tumor, located in the right lateral chest wall, was successfully resected by an aggressive, wide extirpation, and a final diagnosis of a desmoid tumor originating in the chest wall was made. When following up patients after surgery for lung cancer, the possibility of desmoid tumors developing in the incised chest wall should therefore be kept in mind.     

A case of solitary metastatic lung tumor from follicular carcinoma of the thyroid in hemodialysis patient]

A 61-year-old female was admitted for abnormal shadow of chest X-ray film. The patient has been treated with hemodialysis for chronic renal failure since February 16, 1982, and was performed total thyroidectomy for follicular carcinoma of thyroid on October 24, 1989. Chest X-ray on September 8, 1994 showed the abnormal shadow of right lower lung, chest CT revealed tumor shadow which is suspected to malignancy. We performed partial resection of right lung including tumor on October 19, 1994. Histological examination certified the lung metastasis of follicular carcinoma of thyroid. Postoperative course has been uneventful and there has been no episode of recurrence for 3 years and half after the surgery. We reported this very few case with solitary metastatic lung tumor from follicular carcinoma of thyroid with a review of the literature.     

Positron emission tomography (PET)-computed tomography (CT) suggesting small intestinal metastasis from lung cancer; report of a case

A 75-year-old man admitted to our hospital due to an abnormal X-ray shadow detected during an annual health check-up. Chest computed tomography (CT) revealed 3.0 cm solid nodules with chest wall invasion in the left lung. We could not get a definitive diagnosis by transbronchial lung biopsy or CT-guided needle biopsy. Positron emission tomography (PET)-CT revealed positive findings in the tumor, aortopulmonary window lymph node and splenic flexure. Under a diagnosis of suspected lung cancer, thoracotomy was performed. As intraoperative diagnosis revealed a moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma, the patient underwent a left upper lobectomy, mediastinal lymph node dissection, and combined chest wall resection. Pathological stage was T3N2M0, stage IIIA. Ten days after surgery, the patient suffered from ileus and emergent surgery was performed. Subsequent pathological examination revealed lung cancer metastasis in the small intestine.     

A case of benign schwannoma arising in the brachial plexus with intrathoracic extension]

A case of benign schwannoma originating from the lowest trunk of the left brachial plexus with intrathoracic extension was reported. Intrathoracic growth of a schwannoma of the brachial plexus has been reported in only five cases in the literature. The patient was a 35-year-old man and had been pointed out an abnormal shadow at the left lung apex on the roentgenogram since 20-year-old. The tumor shadow was increased to seven cm from four in size on recent chest X-ray. We performed a video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery with the oblique skin incision at the left neck and removed the tumor completely and safely.     

A case of dumb-bell-like neurilemmoma of the posterior mediastinum

A 56 year-old female was pointed out an abnormal shadow on chest X-ray film for the lung cancer screening study. Chest X-ray film showed a round mass shadow at the right superior mediastinum. Chest CT scan revealed the mass was in the paravertebral area abutting on the 2nd thoracic vertebral body and had extended into the intervertebral foramen. Preoperative diagnosis was a dumb-bell-like neurogenic tumor. Operation was carried out by posterior approach in the prone position. At first thoracotomy was done by removing the paravertebral portion of the 2nd and 3rd ribs, and then hemilaminectomy was added. Both the intrathoracic and intraforminal portions of the tumor were completely exposed, and excised. Pathological examination demonstrated the tumor was a typical neurilemmoma originating from the 2nd intercostal nerve. When a neurogenic tumor of the posterior mediastinum has an intraspinal extension, a posterior approach by a simultaneous thoracotomy and laminectomy will be useful to remove the tumor at one sitting.     

A case of typical carcinoid accompanied with left atrium myxoma

A 78-year-old female was admitted to Shizuoka red cross hospital because of an abnormal shadow at the right upper lung field on chest X-ray film. A left atrium myxoma was detected at chest CT scan after admission. Though the lung tumor was well defined and hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes were not swollen at CT scan, the tumor was suspected a small cell carcinoma at the result of trans-bronchoscopic biopsy. Firstly we performed removal of the left atrium myxoma, and two months later, we performed thoracotomy and partial resection of the right upper lobe. The lung tumor was finally diagnosed as a typical carcinoid. We have followed the patient for about 32 months after the operation and there is no evidence of tumor recurrence.     

Complete resection of thymic carcinoma supported by cardiopulmonary bypass

We would like to report on a case of thymic carcinoma that could be completely resected supported by extracorporeal circulation. A 53-year-old female complaining of severe coughing and hoarseness was admitted to our hospital. Her chest X-ray film revealed an abnormal shadow in the upper mediastinum and an elevation of the left diaphragm. Chest CT and MRI showed an anterior mediastinal mass that invaded the main pulmonary artery. The preoperative histological diagnosis of thymoma was made by mediastinoscopic specimen. After 50 Gy irradiation, surgery was performed. During the operation, after resection of the left brachiocephalic vein and a part of the upper lobe of the left lung, the tumor was detached from the wall of the aorta and resected with the invaded part of the pulmonary artery supported by cardiopulmonary bypass. Reconstruction of the pulmonary wall defect was accomplished with Xenomedica. The final pathological diagnosis was thymic adenosquamous carcinoma. The postoperative course has been uneventful 24 months after surgery. Extracorporeal circulation is a useful technique in operations involving malignant diseases when complete resection is able to be accomplished.     

Intrabronchial leiomyoma treated with endoscopic resection; report of a case

A 63-year-old female presented with an abnormal shadow on a chest X-ray. A serial chest computed tomography (CT) showed ground-glass attenuation, which measured 2 cm on S1+2 of the left lung. When bronchofiberscopy was performed to make a diagnosis, a tumor with a smooth surface was revealed which obstructed the right middle bronchus. Leiomyoma was thus diagnosed. At first, a wide wedge resection of left lung tumor was performed. Secondly, a bronchus tumor was successively removed using a high frequency snare and a laser by a bronchofiberscopy. Her postoperative course was uneventful. Leiomyoma of the bronchus is rare benign tumor. This report describes the performance of a resection using bronchofiberscopy with good results.     

Primary thymic adenocarcinoma coexisting with type AB thymoma: a rare case with long-term survival

Thymic carcinoma is a rare tumor. The most common histological subtype is squamous cell carcinoma, and only a few cases of thymic adenocarcinoma have been reported. A case of papillary adenocarcinoma of thymic origin that coexisted with type AB thymoma as a separate nodule is presented herein. The patient was found to have an abnormal mediastinal shadow on chest X-ray. A computed tomography scan revealed a round, 6.5-cm-diameter mass in the right anterior mediastinum. The preoperative diagnosis was thymoma, and thymothymectomy was performed. On pathological examination, two tumors, which were diagnosed as papillary adenocarcinoma and type AB thymoma, respectively, were present in the thymus without any connection with each other. The patient has been alive without any signs of recurrence for 11 years after surgery. We diagnosed the adenocarcinoma in this case was a primary thymic carcinoma.