Synonyms
Invasive thymoma; Malignant thymoma; Primary pleural epithelial tumor; Primary pleural thymoma
Definition
Thymomas are uncommon neoplasms that develop from thymic endothelial cells. They are the most common neoplasm of the anterior mediastinum (0.15 cases per 100,000 persons/year in the USA) and are usually found near the thymus. They are typically considered neoplasms of low malignant potential with a very slow progressive course; however, a small number do spread to local structures, like the pleura, by invasion or implants.
Thymomas can also develop from ectopic thymic tissue (4% of all thymomas), typically within the neck, the middle or posterior mediastinum, or lung. Thymomas originating in the pleura are rare occurrences and because of their location can easily be confused with other neoplasms, both radiologically and morphologically. On chest x-ray, pleural thymomas may appear as localized masses or pleural thickening with encasement of the lung. Computed tomographic...
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References and Further Reading
Attanoos, R. L., Galateau-Salle, F., Gibbs, A. R., Muller, S., Ghandour, F., & Dojcinov, S. D. (2002). Primary thymic epithelial tumours of the pleura mimicking malignant mesothelioma. Histopathology, 41, 42–49.
Cagle, P. T., et al. (2004). Color atlas and text of pulmonary pathology (1st ed.). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Kitada, M., Sato, K., Matsuda, Y., Hayashi, S., Tokusashi, Y., Miyokawa, N., & Sasajima, T. (2011). Ectopic thymoma presenting as a giant intrathoracic tumor: A case report. World Journal of Surgical Oncology, 9, 66.
Qing, G., Ionescu, D., Colby, T., & Leslie, K. (2006). A 75-year-old man with an asymptomatic pleural-based mass discovered on routine chest radiographs. Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, 130, e62–e65.
Travis, W. D., Brambilla, E., Müller-Hermelink, H. K., & Harris, C. C. (Eds.). (2004). World health organization classification of tumours. Pathology and genetics of tumours of lung, pleura, thymus and heart. Lyon: IARC Press.
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Marquez, C.P., Allen, T.C. (2018). Thymoma, Pleural. In: Allen, T.C., Suster, S. (eds) Pathology of the Pleura and Mediastinum. Encyclopedia of Pathology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-66796-6_393
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-66796-6_393
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