title: Hepatic metastasis of thymoma: case report and immunohistochemical study.
abstract: Thymomas are rare tumours characterised by their slow growth and capacity to invade directly by contiguity. While distant dissemination is infrequent, all sub-types of thymoma have the capacity to metastasise to extrathoracic organs. We present here the case of a female patient with a liver mass discovered 13 years after the removal of a mediastinal thymoma and after ten years from thyroidectomy for papillary carcinoma. The histopathological study showed that the lesion contained an epithelial component, which was immunohistochemically positive for pankeratin. It was accompanied by numerous small lymphocytes testing positive for TdT, CD3, CD4, CD5, CD8, CD99, and CD43. The result was consistent with hepatic metastatic thymoma sub-type B1, according to the World Health Organisation classification (WHO). Our case highlights the importance of morphological and immunohistological examinations in the differential diagnosis of visceral masses in patients with a history of thymoma. Given the infrequency of its metastasis and the increased risk of developing other primary tumours that these patients have, these studies play a significant role.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histopathology, Hospital Británico, Buenos Aires C1280AEB, Argentina.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Speisky
authors.affiliation: Department of Histopathology, Hospital Británico, Buenos Aires C1280AEB, Argentina.
authors.forename: María Teresa García
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: de Davila
authors.affiliation: Department of Histopathology, Hospital Británico, Buenos Aires C1280AEB, Argentina.
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vigovich
authors.affiliation: Department of Histopathology, Hospital Británico, Buenos Aires C1280AEB, Argentina.
authors.forename: Julian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mendez
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Hospital Británico, Buenos Aires C1280AEB, Argentina.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Maurette
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Hospital Británico, Buenos Aires C1280AEB, Argentina.
authors.forename: Marcos García
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Ejarque
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital Británico, Buenos Aires C1280AEB, Argentina.
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Spina
authors.affiliation: Department of Histopathology, Hospital Británico, Buenos Aires C1280AEB, Argentina.
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iotti
authors.affiliation: Department of Histopathology, Hospital Británico, Buenos Aires C1280AEB, Argentina.
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dezanzo
keywords: hepatic metastasis; metastasis of thymoma; thymoma