• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
• /
• v.2 no.1
• /
• pp.36-42
• /
• 1991

We report 4 cases of malignant thymoma which were composed of 2 cases of invasive thymoma and 2 cases of thymic carcinoma. The cytologic findings of invasive thymoma were similar to those of benign thymoma. The distinctive cytologic features of thymic carcinoma were necrotic background, irregular clusters and individually scattered arrangement of anaplastic epithelial cells, and some scattered mature small lymphocytes. These findings may be found in the Hodgkin's lymphoma, seminoma, and metastatic squamous ceil carcinoma, undifferentiated carcinoma, and large ceil carcinoma of the lung. But, the feature of irregular clustering of anaplastic epithelial cell haying scanty cytoplasm was different from Hodgkin's lymphoma and seminoma. Clinical and radiologic findings as well as cytologic finding were helpful in differential diagnosis of thymic carcinoma from metastatic carcinoma.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.303-309
• /
• 1994

Eighteen patients with thymoma have undergone surgical treatment at Pusan National university Hospital from 1983 to 1993. The mean age of the patients was 47.3$\pm$13.3 years old and male to female ratio was 1.6 : 1. Eleven of the patients[61.1%] with thymoma had myasthenia gravis; 12 cases[66.7%] were encapsulated and 6[33.3%] invasive. Operation was complete resection in 14[77.8%] of the patients, partial resection with residual tumor in 3[16.7%], and simple biopsy in one[5.5%]. Adjuvant radiotherapy was administered in 5 of 6 invasive thymoma. Postoperatively one patient died for excessive bleeding and sepsis. A tumor relapse was observed in one patient who had invasive thymoma and underwent partial resection followed by postoperative radiotherapy. The overall 5-year survival rate was 88.2$\pm$ 7. 9%.The presence of myasthenia gravis is not considered as an adverse factor for survival but it contributes to early discovery of associated thymoma.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.73 no.6
• /
• pp.331-335
• /
• 2012

Thymomas are one of the most common neoplasms of the mediastinum derived from thymic epithelium. It is common that invasive thymoma invades the lung, pericardium, and great vessels. Airway compression by mass effect also occurs, but direct polypoid tumor growth into the airway is extremely rare. Only 20 cases of invasive thymoma with endobronchial polypoid growth have previously been reported globally. However, there is no case report of invasive thymoma with endotracheal growth. Herein, we report a rare case of invasive thymoma with endotracheal polypoid growth in a 28-year-old woman.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.303-307
• /
• 1995

We experenced 18 patients with surgically treated thymoma from January 1986 to December 1993. There were 13 male and 5 female ranged from 23 to 69 years of age. Among them Myasthenia gravis was present in 8 patients (44%) The predominant cell type was lymphocytic(11 patients), followed by epithelial (3) and mixed (4), and had no value in predicting prognosis. Treatment consisted of complete resection in 15 patients, partial resection in 2 patients and 1 patient was performed biopsy. Only, and then adjuvant radiation therapy was done in 7 patients and 3 patients needed adjuvant chemotherapy. Invasion of the adjacent tissue in thymoma was the most improtant prognostic value. There were 6 non-invasive tumors and 12 invasive tumors. Two patients with invasive thymomas resulted in death and one of 6 patients with non-invasive thymomas died during follow up ranged from 25 day to 60 months. The causes of death were myasthenic crisis in 1 patient, C. N. S. problem in 1 patient and pulmonary & mediastinal metastasis in 1 patient.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.70 no.1
• /
• pp.74-78
• /
• 2011

Herein, we report a case of recurrent pleural metastasis after complete resection of invasive thymoma that was successfully treated with surgical resection. Thymoma and thymic carcinoma are uncommon neoplasms derived from the epithelial cells of the thymus. Approximately 30% to 50% of thymomas are asymptomatic at the time of diagnosis. However, these cancers may present with constitutional or local pressure symptoms and sometimes with paraneoplastic syndromes, especially myasthenia gravis. Surgical resection is the mainstay of thymoma treatment and has been shown to remarkably improve long-term survival. Despite complete resection, local recurrences are frequent, and surgery is the cornerstone of therapy even in cases of recurrent thymoma. We experienced a 67-year-old male patient with pleural metastasis that developed 6 years after complete surgical resection of invasive thymoma. The pleural mass was excised by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. Histopathological examination revealed an invasive World Health Organization (WHO) type B2 thymoma.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.41-45
• /
• 2000

Thymoma is the most common anterior mediastinal tumor in adults. Rarely, it is presented as the anterior neck mass, commonly located in the anterolateral aspect of the neck or adjacent to the thyroid. We experienced two cases of fine needle aspiration cytology of thymoma, mimicking thyroid mass. The first case was an ectopoic cervical thymoma in a 31-year-old female. The fine needle aspiration cytology was misinterpreted as reactive hyperplasia of lymph node. But the histologic diagnosis was thymoma, predominantly lymphocytic type. The second case was an invasive thymoma in a 66-year-old female, who complained a large anterior neck mass. The fine needle aspiration cytology revealed biphasic population of some clusters of epithelial cells and scattered lymphocytes. The cytologic diagnosis was thymoma and was confirmed as invasive thymoma after the biopsy. Therefore, when the cytologic feature of anterior neck mass shows the both lymphocyte and epithelial component, the differential diagnosis should Include the possibility of thymoma.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.75-79
• /
• 2003

Ectopic cervical thymic tumor, first described in 1941 by Boman, is a rare tumor of the neck displaying the same histologic features as mediastinal thymoma. It was classified into benign thymoma, invasive (or malignant) thymoma, thymic carcinoma histopathologically and clinically. The ectopic cervical thymic tumor is misdianosed as the thyroidal mass on radiologic examination and FNA cytology due to its rarity and unusual location. Recently, we have experienced two cases of ectopic cervical thymic tumor misdiagnosed as thyroid mass ; a case of thymic carcinoma;the other of invasive thymoma. So, we report these cases with review of the literature.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.29 no.12
• /
• pp.1381-1384
• /
• 1996

Thymoma Is an anterior mediastinal tumor, arising from the thymus, but occasionally has ectopic focus such as neck, trachea, thyroid, pulmonary hilum, lung parenchyme and pleura. Forty-two year old male patient was admitted due to progressive development of shortness of breath in 4 months. He had a history of exposure to asbestos for About 10 years duration In recent 15 years. Radiologically, multiple pleural masses were seen rom apex to diaphrAgm, with no evidence of anterior mediastinal mass,with fluid in right pleural cavity. Closed thoracotomy drainage with open biopsy were performed. Effusion cell block showed many T cell marker positive Lymphocytes & some epithelial cells compatible with thymoma, and the tissue also showed cortical type thymoma. Pleuropneumonectomy and thymectomy followed by 60 Gy radiation therapy were done and the patient is well 8 months postoperatively. The pleura is markedly thickened by the invasion of thymoma and the interstitial space of the lung tissue,but the normal appearance of thymus was present in remote area (Masaoka classification IVa). We report a case of ectopic invasive thymoma arising from the right pleura with intact thymus.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
• /
• v.4 no.1
• /
• pp.16-24
• /
• 1993

The fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytologic findings in 16 cases of histologically confirmed thymoma are reported. The aspirates were obtained under fluoroscopic guidance. The cytologic diagnoses were inadequate sample in one case, thymoma in 12(75%), small cell carcinoma or thymoma in 1, benign mesenchymal tumor in 1, and germ cell tumor in one. The cytologic features were detailed according to the constituent epithelial cell type, and into 4 small of epithelial cells and lymphocytes. Fifteen cases were classified into 4 small epithelial cell type, 6 intermediate epithelial cell type, 1 large epithelial cell type, 1 large pleomorphic epithelial cell type, and 3 spindle-shaped epithelial ceil type. Cytologic differential diagnosis was discussed, and the important criteria for the cytologic diagnosis of thymoma were reviewed. This review leads us to think that nonoperative cytologic approaches in the diagnosis of the thymoma are possible, and that correct cytologic diagnosis of thymoma with FNAs can easily be made, if adequate samples are obtained However the invasiveness and histologic type could not be predicted by cytological features only. Knowing various cytologic and histologic features of thymoma will be helpful for the diagnosis of thymoma and the differential diagnosis of modiastinal tumors.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.61-66
• /
• 1997

Between January 1986 and December 1995, 24 patients were treated surgically for thymoma. There were 17 males and 7 females, and their ages ranged from 23 to 69 years old and mean age was 49 years. Thymomas ere associated with fourteen myasthenia gravid, and classified histologically as Iymphocytic in 12 patients, mixed in 8, epithelial in 4, and classified clinically as stage I in 11, stage II in 4, stage III in 8 and stage VI in 1 patient. Eleven patients with non-invasive thymoma had received surgical resection, and 10 out of 13 patients with invasive thymoma were able to undergo complete resection. A partial resection or tissue biopsy followed by radiation or chemotherapy was done with the remaining three patients. Three died, four had improvement of symptom, two had relapse and fifteen had no symptom during follow up ranged from 25 days to 60 months. In fourteen cases of thymoma with myasthenia gravid, one died due to myasthenic crisis, two showed symptom aggravation, six had less medical treatment and five patients had medical treatment as same as dosage received preoperatively.