Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2006; 54(2): 138-140
DOI: 10.1055/s-2005-865875
Case Reports

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Unusual Remnant Thymic Tissue in an Adult Mimicking Malignant Neoplasm: Escape From Age-Related Involution

S. Tatebe1 , K. Oka2 , A. Uehara1 , M. Shinonaga1 , S. Kuraoka1
  • 1Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Mito Saiseikai General Hospital, Mito City, Japan
  • 2Department of Pathology, Mito Saiseikai General Hospital, Mito City, Japan
Further Information

Publication History

Received April 3, 2005

Publication Date:
15 March 2006 (online)

Abstract

Here we report on a 55-year-old man with an abnormal anterior mediastinal shadow and multiple nodules in the thymus, which increased in size over a period of 15 months. He was diagnosed with early prostatic cancer, and treated with chemotherapy. Although no definite preoperative diagnosis was obtained, surgery was performed because of the possibility of malignant neoplasm or metastasis. Extended thymectomy was performed and pathological examination revealed that the nodules were remnant thymic tissue and not malignant lesions. Although the cause of this unusual remnant thymic tissue remains unclear, it may have been related to autoimmune or endocrinological disease.

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MD, Ph.D. Shoh Tatebe

Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery
Niigata University Graduate School of Medicine and Dentistry

757 Asahimachi-Dori 1

Niigata City 951-8510

Japan

Phone: + 81252272243

Fax: + 81 2 52 27 07 80

Email: statebe@yahoo.com