[Primary Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of Thymus Caused Cushing Syndrome: Surgical Treatment and Prognosis Analysis].

BACKGROUND AND

OBJECTIVE

Primary neuroendocrine carcinoma of thymus (pNECT) is a rare thymic neoplasm. Some pNECTs could produce an adrenocorticotropic hormone and cause Cushing syndrome (CS). The aim os this study is to discuss the diagnostic technique and surgical management of pNECT-caused CS and analyze prognosis factors to improve the clinical experience of the disease.

METHODS

The outcome of surgery and follow-up of 14 cases (eight males and six females) of pNECT-caused CS were retrospectively analyzed from November 1987 to June 2013.

RESULTS

The median age of the patients was 29, and the median duration of the disease was four months (1 month-44 months). All cases exhibited clinical evidence for the diagnosis of CS, and thoracic computed tomography (CT) was used to detect thymic tumors. Surgical treatment significantly decreased the concentration of both serum cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone (P<0.01) but caused one death in the perioperative period. With multidisciplinary therapy, the median survival was 38 months.

CONCLUSIONS

pNECT-caused CS is a rare disease with aggressive characteristics and unclear prognosis. Early diagnosis and therapy is a challenge for clinicians. Thoracic CT is important for disease location and preoperative evaluation and should be routinely applied to all CS patients to allow early surgery and improved prognosis.