Therapeutic challenge: a giant, infiltrating intrathyroidal thymic carcinoma of the thyroid gland

Abstract

A 58-year-old male was transferred to the endocrine surgery department due to a severe dyspnea caused by a chest tumor that rapidly developed within several weeks. His general condition was poor, with many comorbidities. Computed tomography revealed a large mass in the anterior mediastinum, which was pressing on and displacing the trachea to the right side, causing significant constriction of the respiratory tract (Figures 1A, 1B), but no obvious metastatic changes or lymph nodes involvement were found. The laryngological consultation revealed deep left vocal fold paresis with a proper mobility of the right side. Because of dysphagia, a percutaneous gastrostomy was performed. Due to the rapid progression of the disease, the main suspicion was an anaplastic carcinoma. However, the core needle biopsy identified intrathyroidal