title: [Primary Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of Thymus Caused Cushing Syndrome: Surgical Treatment and Prognosis Analysis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Primary neuroendocrine carcinoma of thymus (pNECT) is a rare thymic neoplasm. Some pNECTs could produce an adrenocorticotropic hormone and cause Cushing syndrome (CS). The aim os this study is to discuss the diagnostic technique and surgical management of pNECT-caused CS and analyze prognosis factors to improve the clinical experience of the disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  The outcome of surgery and follow-up of 14 cases (eight males and six females) of pNECT-caused CS were retrospectively analyzed from November 1987 to June 2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median age of the patients was 29, and the median duration of the disease was four months (1 month-44 months). All cases exhibited clinical evidence for the diagnosis of CS, and thoracic computed tomography (CT) was used to detect thymic tumors. Surgical treatment significantly decreased the concentration of both serum cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone (P<0.01) but caused one death in the perioperative period. With multidisciplinary therapy, the median survival was 38 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  pNECT-caused CS is a rare disease with aggressive characteristics and unclear prognosis. Early diagnosis and therapy is a challenge for clinicians. Thoracic CT is important for disease location and preoperative evaluation and should be routinely applied to all CS patients to allow early surgery and improved prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Endocrine Key Laboratory of Ministry of Health, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing 100730, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Endocrine Key Laboratory of Ministry of Health, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing 100730, China.
authors.forename: Yeye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Endocrine Key Laboratory of Ministry of Health, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing 100730, China.
authors.forename: Shanqing
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Endocrine Key Laboratory of Ministry of Health, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing 100730, China.
authors.forename: Hongsheng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Endocrine Key Laboratory of Ministry of Health, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing 100730, China.
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Endocrine Key Laboratory of Ministry of Health, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing 100730, China.
authors.forename: Yingzhi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003480:Cushing Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult