title: Adrenocorticotropic hormone-producing thymic neuroendocrine carcinoma with oncocytic features: a case report and review of literature.
abstract: Thymic neuroendocrine carcinomas are the most common mediastinal neuroendocrine tumor. These malignancies are not often diagnosed by fine-needle aspiration (FNA), as they are more commonly diagnosed by biopsy or excision. We describe a case of a FNA of a paratracheal mass from a 38-year-old man who presented with Cushing syndrome. A low-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma with oncocytic features was diagnosed, which was later confirmed by excision of the thymus, anterior mediastinal and paratracheal soft tissue, and lymph nodes. Oncocytic features in these tumors are a rare finding and bring metastatic medullary thyroid carcinomas as well as other metastases into the differential diagnosis. The prognosis of neuroendocrine carcinomas in this location is worse than neuroendocrine carcinomas in other areas, and close follow-up is recommended.
authors.affiliation: Cytopathology Section, Department of Pathology, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Nadja K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Falk
authors.forename: Annikka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Weissferdt
authors.forename: Mouhammed A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Habra
authors.forename: Sinchita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roy-Chowdhuri
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000328:Adult; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle / Q000379:methods; D018278:Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D003480:Cushing Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D013945:Thymoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone
keywords: cytology; fine-needle aspiration; oncocytic neuroendocrine carcinoma; thymus