Abstract
BackgroundMultilocular thymic cysts (MTCs) associated with thymomas or thymic carcinomas (TCs) are rare and may be misdiagnosed as other benign cystic lesions.MethodsWe retrospectively analysed 18 cases of thymomas or TCs associated with MTCs, which were retrieved from 309 consecutive patients with thymomas or TCs in the Chinese population, emphasizing clinicopathologic characteristics, immunophenotypes and the prognostic impact.ResultsA total of 14 tumours were described as cystic or solid-cystic masses, and the other 4 tumours were described as solid masses. Histologically, 2 atypical type A, 2 type AB, 1 type B1, 8 type B2, 1 type B3, 1 microscopic thymoma (type A), 2 squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) and 1 lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) were classified. Prominent multilocular cystic areas with chronic inflammation were observed. The follow-up ranged from 2 to 79 months. Sixteen patients survived without any evidence of recurrence after complete resection.ConclusionsOur study suggests that thymomas or TCs associated with MTCs are rare in the Chinese population and have a better clinical behaviour than thymomas or TCs without MTCs. Our data also expand the histologic spectrum of thymomas or TCs accompanied by MTC. To our knowledge, this is the first report of atypical type A thymoma and LELC associated with MTCs.
Highlights
Multilocular thymic cysts (MTCs) associated with thymomas or thymic carcinomas (TCs) are rare and may be misdiagnosed as other benign cystic lesions
MTCs associated with thymomas or TCs are relatively rare and have sporadically been described
Our study suggests that MTCs associated with thymomas or TCs are relatively rare lesions in the anterior mediastinum
Summary
Multilocular thymic cysts (MTCs) associated with thymomas or thymic carcinomas (TCs) are rare and may be misdiagnosed as other benign cystic lesions. Thymomas and TCs are considered as a series of thymic epithelial tumours of low malignant potential to malignant, which encompass a group of different morphologic neoplasms. [1] The 2015 World Health Organization (WHO) classification subdivides thymomas into type A, AB, B1, B2, B3 and rare other thymomas, and defines atypical type A thymoma as type A thymoma variant [1]. MTCs associated with thymomas or TCs are relatively rare and have sporadically been described. MTCs with thymomas or TCs may be clinically misdiagnosed as other benign cysts of the mediastinum. The overall rarity of the epithelial thymic tumours associated with MTCs impedes the establishment of unified and reliable conclusion with regard to therapy and prognosis.
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