[Thymic neuroendocrine tumors: report on 6 cases].
OBJECTIVE
the aim of our study was to analyze a series of 6 thymic neuroendocrine tumors (TNET).


METHODS
we report the clinical and pathological features of 6 TNET reclassified according to the last WHO classification (2004).


RESULTS
there were 4 men and 2 women, (mean age of 61.3 years), presenting with local symptoms in 4 cases. The tumors were reclassified as 3 atypical carcinoids (AC), 2 small cell carcinomas (SCC) and 1 large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC). Cytokeratin, EMA and neuroendocrine markers were expressed in poorly-differentiated tumors. Two patients were lost of follow-up. Two patients with AC died of disease at 20 and 36 months. One patient with SCC died of disease at 2 years and the patient with the LCNEC died of disease in 3 months.


CONCLUSIONS
TNET are poor prognosis tumors with a prognosis similar to thymic carcinomas. Adequate surgical resection is a strong prognosis factor.
Chalabreysse
Lara
L
Service d'Anatomie et de Cytologie Pathologiques, Hôpital Louis Pradel, 28 avenue du doyen Lépine, 69677 Bron Cedex. lara.chalabreysse@chu-lyon.fr
Gengler
Carole
C
Sefiani
Sana
S
Meyronet
David
D
Thivolet-Béjui
Françoise
F
D000368:Aged; D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000473:pathology; D018278:Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome