Carcinomas arising in multilocular thymic cysts of the neck: a clinicopathological study of three cases.
Histopathology
; 44(1): 64-8, 2004 Jan.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-14717671
ABSTRACT
AIMS:
To report three cases of primary carcinoma of the neck arising in multilocular thymic cysts (MTC). METHODS ANDRESULTS:
The patients were three men aged 47, 50 and 52 years who presented with a painless neck mass of several weeks' duration. The patients had no history of previous surgical procedures or of malignancy elsewhere. The tumours in all three patients were located on the right lateral side of the neck; all patients underwent complete surgical resection of the mass. Grossly, the tumours were cystic and measured between 20 and 30 mm in greatest diameter. Histologically, the tumours showed cyst walls lined by squamous epithelium. The cyst walls contained prominent germinal centres with lymphoid hyperplasia, cholesterol cleft granulomas, and scattered keratinized structures reminiscent of Hassall's corpuscles. In addition, a neoplastic cellular proliferation composed of round to oval cells arranged in sheets and originating from the lining of the cystic structures was present. The neoplastic cells showed moderate amounts of eosinophilic cytoplasm, round nuclei, and, in some areas, prominent nucleoli. Mitotic figures were easily found, and cellular pleomorphism was present in several areas. In two cases the tumours showed features of basaloid carcinoma of the thymus, while in one case the pattern was that of squamous cell carcinoma. Immunohistochemical studies for keratin showed a strong positive reaction in the tumour cells, while leucocyte common antigen strongly stained the lymphoid background. Follow-up information obtained in two patients showed them to be alive 6 months after initial diagnosis. One patient was lost to follow-up.CONCLUSION:
The cases described here represent an unusual variant of carcinoma arising in multilocular thymic cyst in the neck region.
Search on Google
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Adenocarcinoma
/
Head and Neck Neoplasms
/
Mediastinal Cyst
Type of study:
Etiology_studies
Limits:
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Language:
En
Journal:
Histopathology
Year:
2004
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country: