title: [Clinical features of thymic neuroendocrine carcinoma: analysis of 21 cases].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To improve the understanding of thymic neuroendocrine carcinoma (TNC) by retrospective analysis of the clinical data of 21 cases.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical data of 21 patients with TNC treated in the Peking Union Medical College Hospital from 1998 to 2010 were retrospectively analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 12 males and 9 females, with onset age ranging from 13 to 67 years and the mean age of 43 years. The clinical manifestation was diverse, in which the malaise of chest and back accounted for 57.1% (12/21), Cushing's syndrome 33.3% (7/21), multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 accounted for 4.8% (1/21), pharyngeal malaise 4.8%, superior vena cava syndrome 4.8% (1/21) and asymptomatic patients accounted for 4.8% (1/21). Eighteen of them demonstrated metastasis, in which 13 had metastasis to lymph nodes and local vascular invasion, 9 to lung or pleura, 5 to bone, 1 to liver and 1 was recurred in situ. Twenty of them were treated by surgical resection. Eleven of them received radiotherapy and 9 chemotherapy after surgery. One patient was too severe to endure surgery, and was a treated by chemotherapy only.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TNC is rare, and its clinical features are complex, with a high level of malignancy. The first choice of treatment is resection. Adjuvant radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy may be applied in patients with metastasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Guo-an
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Bai-qiang
authors.initials: BQ
authors.lastname: Cai
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D018278:Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003480:Cushing Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018761:Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013934:Thymectomy; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone