title: Spontaneous regression of thymic epithelial tumours.
abstract: We herein report the cases of 3 patients with thymic epithelial tumours, including two thymomas and a carcinoma, where the tumours spontaneously regressed in size. The patients were all female ranging in age from 32 to 43 years. During 1 or 2 months without any treatment, the tumours regressed by 25-59% in size. The pleural effusion observed in 2 patients also disappeared during the same period. Pathological examinations revealed areas of necrosis or cystic changes within the two thymomas. Among the patients with thymic epithelial tumours, the existence of this rare disease entity must be recognized.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fukui
authors.forename: Tetsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kawaguchi
authors.forename: Kohei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yokoi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009336:Necrosis; D009365:Neoplasm Regression, Spontaneous; D009375:Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D016066:Pleural Effusion, Malignant / Q000209:etiology; D013945:Thymoma / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D047368:Tumor Burden
keywords: Thymic carcinoma; Thymic epithelial tumour; Thymoma