Pigmented spindle cell carcinoid tumour of the thymus with ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone secretion: report of a rare variant and differential diagnosis of mediastinal spindle cell neoplasms.
Histopathology
; 40(2): 159-65, 2002 Feb.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-11952860
AIMS: A variety of histological variants of thymic carcinoid tumour have been described. A rare case of pigmented spindle cell carcinoid tumour of the thymus is documented and compared with the reported cases of thymic pigmented carcinoid tumour in the literature, with a discussion of the differential diagnosis of spindle cell tumours of the mediastinum. METHODS AND RESULTS: A thymic tumour with ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) secretion was resected from a 24-year-old man suffering from Cushing's syndrome. Histological, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural studies revealed an ACTH-producing spindle cell carcinoid tumour harbouring pigmented melanocytes. Among four thymic pigmented carcinoid tumours reported before, only one was similar to the present case by being also an ACTH-secreting pigmented spindle cell thymic carcinoid tumour. The clinicopathological features of this tumour distinguish it from a spindle cell thymoma, spindle cell thymic carcinoma, and other mediastinal spindle cell tumours. CONCLUSIONS: This case illustrates an extremely rare variant of thymic carcinoid tumour exhibiting a spindle cell morphology and harbouring pigmented melanocytes. Awareness of this histological variant is important in the differential diagnosis of spindle cell tumours of the mediastinum.
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Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Neoplasias del Timo
/
Tumor Carcinoide
/
Hormona Adrenocorticotrópica
Tipo de estudio:
Diagnostic_studies
Límite:
Adult
/
Humans
/
Male
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Histopathology
Año:
2002
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Taiwán
Pais de publicación:
Reino Unido