Clinicopathological features of thymic carcinoma: a report of 58 cases

Objective To summarize the clinicopathological characteristics of thymic carcinomas. Methods 58 cases of thymic carcinoma were observed microscopically and classified based on the WHO classification standards in 2004.The expression of AE1,AE3,Syn,CgA and CD5 was detected by immunohistochemical staining in all the cases. Results The 58 cases included 40 cases of stages Ⅲ and Ⅳ,11 cases of stage Ⅱ,and 7 cases of stage I.There were 21(36.2%) cases of squamous cell carcinomas,6(10.3%) cases of lymphoepithelioma-like carcinomas,1(1.7%) case of undifferentiated carcinoma,2(3.4%) cases of sarcomatoid carcinomas,5(8.6%) cases of typical carcinoids,13(22.4%) cases of atypical carcinoids and 10 cases of small cell carcinomas.Syn and CgA were expressed in 28 cases of neuroendocrine carcinomas,14 cases of squamous cell carcinomas and 1 case of lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma.CD5 was positive in 18 cases of squamous cell carcinomas,2 cases of lymphoepithelioma-like carcinomas and 1 case of sarcomatoid carcinoma. Conclusion In virtue of clinic data and immunochemical staining thymic carcinoma could be differentiated from metastatic carcinomas,mesothelioma,synovial sarcoma,germ cell tumors,paraganglioma,lymphoma and others.Surgical resection,postoperative radiotherapy and chemotherapy are the main treatments to increase the rate of survival.