title: Evaluation of 342 cases of mediastinal/thymic carcinoids collected from literature: a comparative study between typical carcinoids and atypical varieties.
abstract: This study is aimed to provide extensive and useful information based on an analysis of a large and reliable series of cases regarding mediastinal/thymic carcinoids, both typical and atypical. It also serves to assist investigators to improve their research activities in this particular field. In the present study, 342 patients (3.8%) with mediastinal/thymic carcinoids from amongst a total series of 8,970 patients with carcinoids, registered in the Niigata Registry for gut-pancreatic endocrinomas, were analyzed to clarify their detailed clinicopathological characteristics. Added to an analysis of mediastinal/thymic series including a comparison between typical and atypical carcinoid varieties, another comparative study was performed between the present series and a bronchopulmonary series. Mediastinal/thymic carcinoids may be briefly characterized by 1) no significant difference in major factors statistically demonstrable between typical carcinoids and atypical varieties, 2) a male preponderance, 3) difficult (delayed) preoperative diagnosis, 4) a high rate of metastasis, 5) a large tumor size on average (delayed detection), 6) a low rate of the carcinoid syndrome, 7) a high rate of association of the Cushing syndrome, and 8) low postoperative survival rates.
authors.affiliation: Niigata Seiryo University, 1-5939 Suido-cho, Niigata City, Niigata 951-8121.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Soga
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yakuwa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Osaka
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015994:Incidence; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012042:Registries; D017678:Sex Distribution; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery