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Vol.52 No.6 contents | Japanese/English |
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- Case Report -
Thymic Carcinoma Complicated with Tracheal MALT Lymphoma Responding to Chemotherapy
Haruhiko Furusawa1,2, Minoru Ohkouchi1, Satoshi Takayama1, Ken Uchibori1, Shinichiro Tominaga1, Ichiro Natsume11Department of Respiratory Medicine, Yokosuka Kyosai Hospital, Japan, 2Department of Integrated Pulmonology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan
Background. Primary pulmonary and tracheal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma is a rare tumor, and such a tumor complicated with thymic carcinoma has not been reported. At diagnosis, thymic carcinoma has frequently already invaded or metastasized to other organs, and the prognosis is poor. There is no established strategy for the management for patients with thymic carcinoma. Case. A 68-year-old man was admitted with acute respiratory and circulatory failure. A computed tomography scan showed a tumor in the anterior mediastinum and a large amount of pericardial effusion. His general condition was rapidly improved after pericardial drainage. A mediastinoscopic biopsy of the anterior mediastinum tumor was performed, and the histology of the tumor was consistent with thymic carcinoma of Masaoka stage IVa. A bronchoscopic examination revealed polypoid masses with smooth surfaces in the lower trachea. An immunohistochemical examination and gene analysis revealed B cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT). The patient underwent chemotherapy using carboplatin and paclitaxel. After 4 courses of chemotherapy, the thymic carcinoma was markedly reduced in size and the primary pulmonary MALT lymphoma had disappeared. Conclusion. Primary trachea MALT lymphoma complicated with thymic carcinoma responded to chemotherapy using carboplatin and paclitaxel. MALT lymphomas are thought to arise in MALT secondary to long term inflammatory processes, and may arise secondary to other malignancies.
key words: Tracheal MALT lymphoma, Thymic carcinoma, Carboplatin, Paclitaxel
Received: November 8, 2011
Accepted: September 10, 2012
JJLC 52 (6): 919-924, 2012
