title: Epstein-Barr virus--positive undifferentiated thymic carcinoma in a 12-year-old white girl.
abstract: Thymic epithelial malignant diseases are extremely rare in children. The authors report a 12-year-old white girl admitted for a polymetastatic tumor of the anterior mediastinum. Tumor proliferation was typical of an undifferentiated thymic carcinoma. A close link between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and the tumor was established by a high titer of anti-VCA IgA and the presence of EBV RNA and DNA in the tumor. In addition, monoclonal viral episomes were present in tumor cells, indicating that EBV infection was an early event in the oncogenic process. The patient died despite resection, irradiation, and chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Unité d'Hématologie et d'Oncologie Pédiatrique, Hôpital Nord, St Etienne, France.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Stéphan
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Galambrun
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Boucheron
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Varlet
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Delabesse
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: MacIntyre
mesh_terms: D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D002648:Child; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human; D006801:Humans; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D013945:Thymoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral