Thymic carcinoma: current concepts and histologic features.
Thymic carcinoma is a rare tumor that has traditionally posed a significant challenge for diagnosis to clinicians and histopathologists. No reliable histopathologic features have yet been identified that can permit reliable distinction of these tumors from a metastasis to the mediastinum. Histologically, the tumors are characterized by morphologic features that are indistinguishable from those arising from a variety of other epithelial organs. A large number of histologic variants have been described. In general, these tumors remain a diagnosis of exclusion and, as a group, represent high-grade neoplasms with a very aggressive clinical behavior and an often-ominous prognosis.
Moran
Cesar A
CA
Department of Anatomic Pathology, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Suster
Saul
S
D016591:Histocytological Preparation Techniques; D006801:Humans; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D013945:Thymoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*