Metastatic thymic carcinoid responds to chemoradiation and octreotide: A case report

RATIONALE: Thymic carcinoids are a rare type of malignant neuroendocrine tumors which have a poor prognosis due to their distant metastasis, invasive behaviour, and postoperative recurrence. Surgical resection is still the fundamental mode for treating thymic carcinoids. Here, we report the rapid shrinkage of an atypical thymic carcinoid with multiple metastases following chemoradiation plus octreotide as a first-line therapy PATIENT CONCERNS: A 39-year-old Chinese man presented with chest tightness, dyspnea with a history of lumbago and untreated malignant thymoma. DIAGNOSIS: Thoracic computed tomography (CT) scan revealed an anterior mediastinal mass with pulmonary and multiple bone metastases as well as bilateral pleural and pericardial effusions. Percutaneous needle biopsy was performed on the mediastinal mass and the pathological diagnosis was neuroendocrine carcinoma of moderately differentiation (atypical carcinoid) INTERVENTIONS: The tumor was considered unresectable because of extensive invasion into the lung and various bones. The patient was started on paclitaxel and oxaliplatin per 21 days for 4 cycles, and on 20 mg of depot formulation of octreotide once per 21 days. After 2 cycles of chemotherapy, the patient received concurrently mediastinal radiotherapy (39.6 Gy × 22 fractions). OUTCOMES: A follow-up CT of the chest at the completion of his fourth chemotherapy regimen demonstrated, approximately 22% of tumor shrinkage. There were no signs of disease progression but the patient refused further chemoradiation treatment. The patient received monthly treatment of octreotide and zoledronate and his progression-free survival reached 18 months. Due to uncontrollable disease progression, the patient expired. LESSONS: Early diagnosis and radical surgery of thymic carcinoid are very important. However, radiotherapy (combined/noncombined chemotherapy) must be considered if radical resection is not performed. We believe that further study of chemoradiation and octreotide with the palliative intent of preparing tumors for shrinkage is warranted as a strategy to improve curative management of neuroendocrine tumors.