title: Cystic well-differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma (carcinoid tumor): a clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical study of two cases.
abstract: Two cases of primary neuroendocrine carcinoma (carcinoid tumor) arising in the walls of a multilocular thymic cyst (MTC) are described. The patients were 2 men, ages 36 and 44 years. Clinically, the patients had chest pain, cough, and dyspnea. Radiographic evaluation demonstrated the presence of anterior mediastinal tumor in both patients, and complete surgical resection of the tumor mass was performed. The tumors measured approximately 6 and 8 cm in greatest dimension and were cystic with solid areas but did not show areas of necrosis or hemorrhage. Histologic examination revealed a cystic tumor with features similar to those previously described for MTCs. In addition, in the walls of the cystic structures, there was cellular proliferation arranged in a nesting growth pattern, similar to the more solid areas of the tumor. The tumor was characterized by a homogenous cellular proliferation with mild cellular atypia and no more than 2 mitotic figures per 10 high-power fields. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells showed strong positive reactions for keratin and neuroendocrine markers, ie, chromogranin and synaptophysin. Both patients were alive after periods of 12 and 18 months.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, M.D. Anderson Cancer, Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Cesar A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Moran
authors.forename: Saul
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suster
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D018278:Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008476:Mediastinal Cyst / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*