| Malignant Thymoma
|
Etiology
N/A
|
Pathogenesis
Unknown,
|
Epidemiology
Malignant thymomas are rare tumors usually of a
mid-life to late adulthood.
|
General Gross Description
Grossly, these tumors can be quite large (up to 20 cm.
in diameter) and are significantly firmer than normal
thymic tissue.
Areas of calcification and cystic degeneration are
often seen.
Examples:
|
General Microscopic Description
Microscopically, these cells can be of 2 types.
The type 1 cancers are cytologically benign, but do
show some evidence of invasion of the capsule.
Type 2 tumors are more overtly malignant and are
typically squamous cell carcinomas, usually poorly
differentiated and show overt evidence of invasion and
distance spread. Examples:
|
References
Cotran RS, Kumar V, Robbins SL: Robbins Pathologic Basis of Disease. 5th ed. Philadelphia, W.B. Saunders, 1994, pp. 1168
For Most Current Information Search Medline at National Library of Medicine This link will directly take you to the relevant new literature
| Malignant Thymoma
| | Synopsis by: T.V.Rajan, M.D., Ph.D. (T98000M85803)[568]
| |