• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.41-46
• /
• 2005

Carcinoid tumors of the thymus are vanishingly rare, and the characteristic cytologic findings of this condition have never before been reported in Korea. Recently, we encountered a 58-year-old woman who had been suffering from general weakness and weight loss for several months. Radiological imaging revealed a large anterior mediastinal mass. A fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) of the mass showed predominantly scattered single cells, as well as some loose clusters of small cells with scanty cytoplasm. Some of these small cells exhibited plasmacytoid features, with moderately granular cytoplasm. We also discuss the cytological differential diagnosis between thymic carcinoid and other mediastinal tumors.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.34 no.11
• /
• pp.887-890
• /
• 2001

Neuroendocrine tumor in thymus is rare and has poor prognosis due to frequent recurrence and distant metastasis. Approximately half of thymic carcinoids are hormonally active and Cushing\`s syndrome is seen in 33% of affected patients. Treatment of choice is surgical excision of tumor and role of chemotherapy and radiotherapy is controversal. We report 2 cases of thymic neuroendocrine carcinoma associated with Cushing\`s syndrome.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.46 no.3
• /
• pp.402-408
• /
• 1999

This report describes the thymic carcinoid tumor behaved in a highly aggressive fashion metastasis. Anti-cancer chemotherapy was not effective, the patient died of progressive disease after three months of diagnosis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.15
• /
• pp.6469-6475
• /
• 2015

Background: Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) makes it possible to detect malignant tumors based on the diffusion of water molecules. It is uncertain whether DWI is more useful than positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) for distinguishing benign from malignant mediastinal tumors and mass lesions. Materials and Methods: Sixteen malignant mediastinal tumors (thymomas 7, thymic cancers 3, malignant lymphomas 3, malignant germ cell tumors 2, and thymic carcinoid 1) and 12 benign mediastinal tumors or mass lesions were assessed in this study. DWI and PET-CT were performed before biopsy or surgery. Results: The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value ($1.51{\pm}0.46{\times}10^{-3}mm^2/sec$) of malignant mediastinal tumors was significantly lower than that ($2.96{\pm}0.86{\times}10^{-3}mm^2/sec$) of benign mediastinal tumors and mass lesions (P<0.0001). Maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) ($11.30{\pm}11.22$) of malignant mediastinal tumors was significantly higher than that ($2.53{\pm}3.92$) of benign mediastinal tumors and mass lesions (P=0.0159). Using the optimal cutoff value (OCV) $2.21{\times}10^{-3}mm^2/sec$ for ADC and 2.93 for SUVmax, the sensitivity (100%) by DWI was not significantly higher than that (93.8%) by PET-CT for malignant mediastinal tumors. The specificity (83.3%) by DWI was not significantly higher than that (66.7%) for benign mediastinal tumors and mass lesions. The accuracy (92.9%) by DWI was not significantly higher than that (82.1%) by PET-CT for mediastinal tumors and mass lesions. Conclusions: There was no significant difference between diagnostic capability of DWI and that of PET-CT for distinguishing mediastinal tumors and mass lesions. DWI is useful in distinguishing benign from malignant mediastinal tumors and mass lesions.