[Carcinoid tumor of the thymus].
Carcinoid tumor of the thymus is a rare tumor. It is difficult to detect thymic carcinoid tumors by conventional chest X-ray films. As a result many cases of thymic carcinoid tumor are discovered at an advanced stage. While it is difficult to make a definitive pathological diagnosis preoperatively, percutaneous needle biopsy by Surecut needle is possible. Median sternotomy is better than thoracotomy, as thymectomy and lymph nodes dissection are necessary. Of the 6 cases of thymic carcinoid tumors, 5 were diagnosed as atypical carcinoid histologically, and in 3 of those 5 cases lesions resembling small cell carcinoma were observed in some specimen. The causes of these advanced atypical thymic carcinoid cases were not good.
Nagai
K
K
Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Chiba, Japan.
Gi
H
H
Kiguchi
T
T
Takizawa
N
N
Taguchi
M
M
Kato
H
H
Ebihara
Y
Y
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011859:Radiography; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*