Primary carcinomas of the thymus are rare. A variety of histologic patterns have been reported, and the most common are squamous cell carcinoma, lymphoepithelioma like carcinoma, and basaloid carcinoma. Adenocarcinomas of the thymus are extremely rare. As determined from a literature search, a pure tubular adenocarcinoma has never been previously described, and thus, this is first case report of tubular adenocarcinoma of the thymus. A combined resection of the superior vena cava and pericardium was performed. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were positive for CD5.
Moriyama S, Shimizu N, Kurita A, Teramoto S, Taguchi K.A case of adenocarcinoma of the thymus. J Jpn Assn Thorac Surg. 1989;37:717-722.
2.
Ito H, Obara T, Sasano S, Onuki T, Nitta S. Eight cases of thymic carcinoma. J Jpn Assn Thorac Surg. 1994;42: 2060-2067.
3.
Babu MK, Nirmala V. Tthymic carcinoma with glandular differentiation arising in a congenital thymic cyst. J Surg Oncol. 1994;57:277-279.
4.
Makino Y, Asada M, Suzuki T, Hashimoto M.A case of adenocarcinoma of thymus. J Jpn Assn Thorac Surg.1998;46:1168-1171.
5.
Matsuno Y, Morozumi N, Hirohashi S, Shimosato Y, Rosai J.Papillary carcinoma of the thymus: report of four cases of a new microscopic type of thymic carcinoma. Am J Surg Pathol. 1998;22:873-880.
6.
Choi WWL, Lui YH, Lau WH, Crowley P, Khan A, Chan JKAdenocarcinoma of the thymus: report of two cases, including a previously undescribed mucinous subtype. Am J Surg Pathol. 2003;27:124-130.
7.
Zaitlin N, Rozenman J, Yellin A.Papillary adenocarcinoma in a thymic cyst: a pitfall of thoracoscopic excision. Ann Thorac Surg. 2003;76:1279-1281.
8.
Misao T, Yamamoto Y, Nakano H, Toyooka S, Yamane M, Satoh K.Primary thymic adenocarcinoma with production of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 and carcinoembryonic antigen. Jpn J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2004;52:30-32.
9.
Suster S, Rosai J.Thymic carcinoma: a clinicopathologic study of 60 cases. Cancer. 1991;67:1025-1032.