[Thymic neuroendocrine tumors: report on 6 cases].

AIM: the aim of our study was to analyze a series of 6 thymic neuroendocrine tumors (TNET).

METHODS

we report the clinical and pathological features of 6 TNET reclassified according to the last WHO classification (2004).

RESULTS

there were 4 men and 2 women, (mean age of 61.3 years), presenting with local symptoms in 4 cases. The tumors were reclassified as 3 atypical carcinoids (AC), 2 small cell carcinomas (SCC) and 1 large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC). Cytokeratin, EMA and neuroendocrine markers were expressed in poorly-differentiated tumors. Two patients were lost of follow-up. Two patients with AC died of disease at 20 and 36 months. One patient with SCC died of disease at 2 years and the patient with the LCNEC died of disease in 3 months.

CONCLUSION

TNET are poor prognosis tumors with a prognosis similar to thymic carcinomas. Adequate surgical resection is a strong prognosis factor.