Small cell mesothelioma: A rare entity and diagnostic pitfall mimicking small cell lung carcinoma on fine‐needle aspiration Yanhong Zhang, Alaa Afify, Regina F. Gandour‐Edwards, John W. Bishop, Eric C. Huang Diagnostic Cytopathology.2016; 44(6): 526. CrossRef
A Biphasic Pleural Tumor with Features of an Epithelioid and Small Cell Mesothelioma: Morphologic and Molecular Findings Sarah Hackman, Richard D. Hammer, Lester Layfield Case Reports in Pathology.2016; 2016: 1. CrossRef
We report 4 cases of malignant thymoma which were composed of 2 cases of invasive thymoma and 2 cases of thymic carcinoma. The cytologic findings of invasive thymoma were similar to those of benign thymoma. The distinctive cytologic features of thymic carcinoma were necrotic background, irregular clusters and individually scattered arrangement of anaplastic epithelial cells, and some scattered mature small lymphocytes. These findings may be found in the Hodgkin'slymphoma, seminoma, and metastatic squamous cell carcinoma, undifferentiated carcinoma, and large cell carcinoma of the. lung. But, the feature of irregular clustering of anaplastic epithelial cell having scanty cytoplasm was different from Hodgkin'slymphoma and seminoma. Clinical and radiologic findings as well as cytologic finding were helpful in differential diagnosis of thymic carcinoma from metastatic carcinoma.
Malignant thymoma is usually manifested as a mediastinal mass. Occasiomally, these tumors may be associated with a variety of systemic syndromes, such as myasthenia gravis, pure red cell aplasia or hypogammaglobulinemia. However, it is generally accepted that thymomas rarely metastasize and the frequency of extrathoracic metastasis has been reported as 1 to 15%. In general, nuclear changes of tumor cells such as enlarged size, irregular shape and altered textures are determining feactors in the assessment of the grade of malignancy. We experienced a case of malignant thymoma of anterior mediastinum in a 35-year-old woman. After 3 years, she developed recurrent malignant thymoma in the right supraclavicular area, diagnosed by aspiration biopsy cytology.