Clinicopathologic features and treatment of thymic lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma: two case reports and literature review.

Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) is rare in the thymus, and easily misdiagnosed. To improve its clinicopathologic knowledge, we describe two cases of thymic LELC, and investigate their microscopic and immunohistochemical features, treatment, and follow-up with a review of previously published cases. Two patients in the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University underwent complete surgical resection for thymic LELC. They were treated with chemotherapy or radiotherapy after operation. Histologically, tumor cells exhibited nest patterns or showed stripe-shaped infiltration in fibrous tissue containing lymphocytes. Tumor was diffusely positive for pan-cytokeratin (CK), CK19, cluster of differentiation 5 (CD5), CD117, epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), and p63, and negative for TdT. Recent follow-up showed that the two patients were alive with no signs of recurrence. We report two cases of thymic LELC with a review of previously published cases to summarize knowledge of their clinicopathological characteristics, which is necessary for accurate diagnosis and clinical treatment.

[1]  S. Suster,et al.  Poorly Differentiated Nonkeratinizing Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Thymus: Clinicopathologic and Molecular Genetic Study of 25 Cases , 2018, The American journal of surgical pathology.

[2]  Y. Hosomi,et al.  Clinical outcome of thymic lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma: Case report of a 14-year-old male , 2014, Oncology letters.

[3]  M. Hirokawa,et al.  Intrathyroidal epithelial thymoma/carcinoma showing thymus‐like differentiation; comparison with thymic lymphoepithelioma‐like carcinoma and a possibility of development from a multipotential stem cell , 2013, APMIS : acta pathologica, microbiologica, et immunologica Scandinavica.

[4]  S. Pipavath,et al.  Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) associated lymphoepithelioma-like thymic carcinoma associated with paraneoplastic syndrome of polymyositis: a rare tumor with rare association. , 2009, Clinical nuclear medicine.

[5]  D. Zwolińska,et al.  Lymphoepithelioma-like thymic carcinoma in a 16-year-old boy with nephrotic syndrome—a case report , 2008, Pediatric Nephrology.

[6]  S. Sak,et al.  THE COEXISTENCE OF THYMIC CARCINOMA AND MULTIPLE GRANULOMAS IN A TURKISH CHILD , 2007, Pediatric hematology and oncology.

[7]  Chao‐Ping Yang,et al.  Thymic Lymphoepitheliomalike Carcinoma in Children: Clinicopathologic Features and Molecular Analysis , 2006, Journal of pediatric hematology/oncology.

[8]  N. Yariş,et al.  Thymic carcinoma in children , 2006, Pediatric blood & cancer.

[9]  R. Tsuchiya,et al.  Immunohistochemical KIT (CD117) expression in thymic epithelial tumors. , 2005, Chest.

[10]  P. Adeleine,et al.  Thymic carcinoma: a clinicopathological and immunohistological study of 19 cases , 2004, Histopathology.

[11]  T. Sano,et al.  Morules in cribriform‐morular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma: Immunohistochemical characteristics and distinction from squamous metaplasia , 2004, APMIS : acta pathologica, microbiologica, et immunologica Scandinavica.

[12]  T. Shpitzer,et al.  Immunohistochemical profile and treatment of uncommon types of thyroid carcinomas. , 2003, Oncology reports.

[13]  P. Goldstraw,et al.  Immunohistochemical markers in the differentiation of thymic and pulmonary neoplasms , 2002, Histopathology.

[14]  M. Okumura,et al.  The spectrum of micronodular thymic epithelial tumours with lymphoid B‐cell hyperplasia , 2001, Histopathology.

[15]  T. Kuo.  Frequent presence of neuroendocrine small cells in thymic carcinoma: a light microscopic and immunohistochemical study , 2000, Histopathology.

[16]  L. Villari,et al.  THYMIC CARCINOMA, SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS, AND HYPERTROPHIC PULMONARY OSTEOARTHROPATHY IN AN 11-YEAR-OLD BOY: A Novel Association , 2000, Pediatric hematology and oncology.

[17]  Y. Jin,et al.  Immunohistochemical localization of Mcl‐1 and bcl‐2 proteins in thymic epithelial tumours , 1996, Histopathology.

[18]  H. Jürgens,et al.  Treatment of pediatric malignant thymoma: long-term remission in a 14-year-old boy with EBV-associated thymic carcinoma by aggressive, combined modality treatment. , 1996, Medical and pediatric oncology.

[19]  T. Yokoyama,et al.  EBER‐1 expression in thymic carcinoma , 1993, Acta pathologica japonica.

[20]  T. Kuo,et al.  Thymic Carcinomas: Histopathological Varieties and Immunohistochemical Study , 1990, The American journal of surgical pathology.

[21]  M. Hsieh,et al.  Thymic lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma associated with thymoma in a patient with ocular myasthenia. , 1998, Scandinavian cardiovascular journal : SCJ.

[22]  A. Besim,et al.  Hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy in a child with thymic carcinoma: an unusual presentation in childhood. , 1994, Medical and pediatric oncology.

[23]  D. Karcher,et al.  Thymic carcinoma: clinical findings in two patients with extrathoracic metastases. , 1988, Southern medical journal.