Hepatoid Thymic Carcinoma

Mediastinal Hepatoid Adenocarcinoma Treated With Arterial Interventional Therapy: A Case Report and Review of Literature

Hepatoid adenocarcinoma (HAC) is an extremely rare extrahepatic carcinoma, which is pathologically featured by hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and marked by producing alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). HAC of mediastinum is extremely rare. For inoperable patients, the curative treatment options have not been established, and the outcome of HAC is usually poor. Here, we present a case of mediastinal HAC with normal serum AFP level who achieved well-controlled and good response after local–regional interventional approach combined with systemic PD-1 inhibitor. A 53-year-old male who complained of chest pain was admitted to our hospital in February 2021. A chest CT scan revealed several tumors in his mediastinum. The laboratory data showed normal serum AFP level. HAC was diagnosed through pathological assessment of biopsy. Surgery was not available due to the infiltration of sternum. Local regional FOLFOX chemotherapy was given by transarterial infusion, followed by transcatheter arterial chemoembolization, and thereafter combined with systemic anti-PD-1 treatment. The patient achieved favorable disease control and apparent symptom relief. So transarterial interventional therapy combined immunotherapy may be a possible and promising treatment for mediastinal HAC.

Hepatoid thymic carcinoma: a case report of a rare subtype of thymic carcinoma

Hepatoid thymic carcinoma is an extremely rare subtype of primary thymus tumor resembling "pure" hepatoid adenocarcinomas with hepatocyte paraffin 1 (Hep-Par-1) expression. A 53-year-old man presented with voice change and a neck mass. Multiple masses involving the thyroid, cervical and mediastinal lymph nodes, and lung were detected on computed tomography. Papillary thyroid carcinoma was confirmed by biopsy, and the patient underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy. However, the anterior mediastinal mass was enlarged after the treatment whereas the multiple masses in the thyroid and neck decreased in size. Microscopically, polygonal tumor cells formed solid sheets or trabeculae resembling hepatocytes and infiltrated remnant thymus. The tumor cells showed immunopositivity for cytokeratin 7, cytokeratin 19, and Hep-Par-1 and negativity for α-fetoprotein. Possibilities of germ cell tumor, squamous cell carcinoma, and metastasis of thyroid papillary carcinoma were excluded by immunohistochemistry. This report on the new subtype of thymic carcinoma is the third in English literature thus far.

Common and rare carcinomas of the thymus

Thymic carcinoma encompasses a diverse group of rare tumors that occur almost exclusively in the prevascular (anterior) mediastinum. Thymic carcinomas have a worse outcome than thymomas with a median time to death of under 3 years. These tumors lack the typical lobulation of thymomas, exhibit commonly more cytologic atypia, are associated with a desmoplastic stromal reaction, and lack thymocytes, features that distinguish them from thymomas. The most common thymic carcinoma is squamous cell carcinoma; other subtypes include mucoepidermoid carcinoma, NUT carcinoma, and adenocarcinoma, among others. Largely due to multi-institutional and global efforts and meta-analysis of case reports and series, some of the thymic carcinoma subtypes have been studied in more detail and molecular studies have also been performed. Morphology and immunophenotype for the vast majority of thymic carcinoma subtypes are similar to their counterparts in other organs. Therefore, the distinction between thymic carcinoma and metastatic disease, which is relatively common in the prevascular mediastinum, can be challenging and in general requires clinical and radiologic correlation. Although surgical resection is the treatment of choice, only 46 to 68% of patients with thymic carcinoma can undergo resection as many other tumors present at high stage with infiltration into vital neighboring organs. These patients are usually treated with chemotherapy and/or radiation. The search for better biomarkers for prognosis and treatment of thymic carcinomas is important for improved management of these patients and possible targeted therapy.

Potential application and prevalence of the CD30 (Ki-1) antigen among solid tumors: A focus review of the literature

BACKGROUND

CD30 (Ki-1) is a cell membrane protein derived from the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor family. The CD30 antigen has been associated primarily with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma (sALCL). Brentuximab vedotin (BV) is an antibody-drug conjugate targeting the CD30 antigen. FDA approval for BV includes relapsed and refractory HL and sALCL. The CD30 antigen also has been identified in many solid tumors, predominantly of germ cell origins and early clinical data is promising.

OBJECTIVE

Perform a focus literature review evaluating the prevalence of the CD30 antigen among nonlymphomatous tumors with a potential correlate for CD30 targeted therapy.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Inclusion criteria: all retrospective reviews and case reports citing CD30 positivity or negativity in non-lymphomatous malignancies in which data were presented based on location.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA

studies with hematopoetic malignancies, cutaneous malignancies, non-human populations, and non-english publications.

INCLUDED STUDIES

A total of 119 articles met these criteria and are summarized in this manuscript.

CONCLUSION

The CD30 antigen has shown variable prevalence among non-hematopoetic tumors, most notably among germ cell tumors and mesothelioma. With additional, preclinical and properly powered clinical studies, CD30 targeted therapy such as that of BV, alone or in combination with other agents may prove to be a strong candidate in the treatment of various CD30⁺ malignancies.

[Thymic carcinomas]

Thymic carcinomas (TC) are approximately 10 times less prevalent than thymomas but of high clinical relevance because they are more aggressive, less frequently resectable than thymomas and usually refractory to classical and targeted long-term treatment approaches. Furthermore, in children and adolescents TC are more frequent than thymomas and particularly in this age group, germ cell tumors need to be a differential diagnostic consideration. In diagnostic terms pathologists face two challenges: a), the distinction between thymic carcinomas and thymomas with a similar appearance and b), the distinction between TC and histologically similar metastases and tumor extensions from other primary tumors. Overcoming these diagnostic challenges is the focus of the new WHO classification of thymic epithelial tumors. The objectives of this review are to highlight novel aspects of the WHO classification of thymic carcinomas and to address therapeutically relevant diagnostic pitfalls.

Immunohistochemistry in the diagnosis of thymic epithelial neoplasms

The diagnosis of thymic epithelial neoplasms is normally rendered after careful evaluation of their histologic features. In some cases, however, the morphological heterogeneity or overlap with neoplasms of other organ systems can lead to diagnostic uncertainty. On the basis of this, the use of immunohistochemical stains as a diagnostic adjunct has become a popular tool. Although undoubtedly, immunohistochemistry has its role in the diagnosis of difficult cases, to date there are no specific markers that would distinguish thymic epithelial neoplasms from other tumors and interpretation of immunohistochemical results should only ever be made in conjunction with accurate morphologic analysis and careful clinical evaluation. This article will review the current knowledge of the immunohistochemical phenotype of thymic epithelial neoplasms with particular emphasis on its use for diagnostic purposes and the latest advances in this field.

Thymic carcinoma, part 1: a clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical study of 65 cases

The clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical features of 65 primary thymic carcinomas are reported (43 men and 22 women; 19-81 years old). Thymectomy was performed in all cases. Masaoka staging for 53 patients showed 3 patients in stage I, 14 in stage II, 17 in stage III, and 19 in stage IV. Histologic studies revealed 9 carcinoma subtypes. Immunohistochemically, the tumors showed high rates of expression for cytokeratin, Pax8, and FoxN1. Follow-up for 62 patients revealed that 36 patients were alive (mean follow-up, 51.1 months) and 26 had died (mean survival, 47.5 months). The 3- and 5-year overall survival rates were 76.6% and 65.7%, respectively. Our findings suggest that thymic carcinomas may behave less aggressively than commonly believed. Lymph node status and tumor size seem to be important prognostic factors. The Masaoka staging system does not seem to reliably predict outcome.

Cytomorphology of a solitary left chest wall mass: an unusual presentation from unknown primary hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) may present in various ways, but only very rarely with symptoms of distant metastases or evolve from ectopic liver tissue. This report describes a case of a 62-year-old white man who was admitted for hemoptysis and a large left chest wall mass that was growing for about a year. The patient underwent Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of the mass that revealed poorly differentiated large-cell carcinoma. A lung primary was suspected initially; however, further workup of this patient showed an elevated serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level of 16,425 ng/ml. A computerized tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen showed cirrhotic liver, evidence of esophageal varices, but no evidence of a liver mass. The FNA findings were reviewed and ancillary studies were performed, including pan cytokeratin (AE1/3), Hepatocyte Paraffin 1 (HepPar-1), AFP, CD10, CD34, and polyclonal CEA. The results confirmed the diagnoses of HCC probably from occult primary or from ectopic liver tissue. The former was suggested, since serum AFP was dropped to 6,640 ng/ml following resection of the tumor. We concluded that HCC should be considered in the list of differential diagnosis of chest wall mass. HCC may present as metastatic disease from a clinically and radiologically unrecognized liver mass. FNA, coupled with ancillary studies, provides a rapid and accurate diagnostic tool in challenging cases.

Thymic tumor with adenoid cystic carcinomalike features: a clinicopathologic study of 4 cases

Thymic carcinomas are rare malignant neoplasms which comprise several histologic subtypes. Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is included among these subtypes even if it has never been formally reported. We evaluated the clinical, radiologic, morphologic, immunohistochemical, and genetic features of 4 cases of thymic neoplasms with ACC-like features retrieved from the authors' consult files. Most cases affected adult/elderly males (mean 68.5 y; range: 63 to 77 y; M:F ratio=3:1), and were asymptomatic. The clinical history (no evidence of ACC in other sites), radiologic findings (a mass in the thymic region), and morphologic features (residual thymic tissue at the periphery of the neoplasm) strongly supported their primary thymic nature. Grossly, most of the tumors presented as multicystic lesions. On microscopic examination there were true glandular spaces filled with periodic acid-Schiff+material, and pseudocysts containing stromal mucin, collagen IV, and laminin. Features favoring malignancy were overtly infiltrative margins (2/4), mitotic figures (2/4), cytologic atypia (1/4), vascular invasion (1/4), absence of organoid thymuslike pattern (4/4), and absence of immature (TdT+) T lymphocytes (3/3). Necrosis and nerve invasion were not observed. The tumor cells showed the following immunophenotype: p63+(3/3), CK34betaE12+(3/3), CD5+ in scattered cells (1/3), CD117- (3/3), chromogranin-(2/2), synaptophysin-(2/2), and CD56- (2/2). MIB-1 ranged from 1% to 10%. Comparative genomic hybridization revealed an isolated gain of chromosome 8 in 1/3 cases. One patient is alive and well after 20 months, 1 died of another cause 5 years later, and 2 were lost at follow-up. Exceptionally, primary thymic tumors may exhibit histologic features resembling those of ACC of salivary glands. They may be well circumscribed and cytologically bland or invasive and cytologically atypical. In either case they lack an organoid thymuslike pattern and immature T lymphocytes. We have interpreted them as a microscopic subtype of well-differentiated thymic carcinoma of low-grade malignancy, an impression supported by the admittedly limited follow-up information.

Thymic carcinoma: update of current diagnostic criteria and histologic types

Thymic carcinomas are rare tumors thought to derive from thymic epithelium. Because of the complex embryological origin of the thymus, whose development includes contributions from the third and, to a lesser extent, the fourth pharyngeal pouches, thymic carcinomas are endowed with great morphologic heterogeneity. A large number of histologic types have been described that resemble tumors arising in other organs. Unfortunately, no definitive pathognomonic histological features or immunohistochemical markers are associated with these tumors, making them a real challenge for diagnosis. Because of their close similarity with tumors arising at other organs, the diagnosis of thymic carcinoma must be regarded, for the most part, as a diagnosis of exclusion. This review will focus on current criteria for diagnosis of these tumors, with a review of the various histopathologic appearances that they can adopt.

Thymoma and Thymic Carcinoma: An Update of the WHO Classification 2004

When dealing with tumors of the thymus and mediastinum, both the surgeon and the pathologist are confronted with a vast variety of different pathohistologic entities, among which epithelial tumors, namely thymomas and thymic carcinomas, are the most frequent. Intimate knowledge of the different entities and their anticipated clinical outcome is required to meet diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. We herein briefly update the reader with the most important new changes in the 2004 WHO classification of tumors of the thymus and to important new trends in the treatment of some of these tumors.

Undifferentiated Large Cell Carcinoma of the Thymus Associated With Castleman Disease-Like Reaction

Five cases of a distinctive type of undifferentiated large cell thymic carcinoma accompanied by an inflammatory reaction having morphologic features closely resembling those of Castleman disease (CD) of the hyaline vascular type (HVCD) are reported. The tumors occurred in 3 men and 2 women with a median age of 53 years. Three patients were asymptomatic and the tumors were found incidentally; 1 patient presented with fatigue, weight loss, dyspnea, and chest pain, and another with acanthosis nigricans. The tumors were characterized by the admixture of two components: a neoplasm of cytokeratin (+)/CD5(-) undifferentiated large tumor cells and an inflammatory reaction resembling the late stage of HVCD. Some of the cases were associated with a remarkably indolent clinical course, especially when considering their high-grade morphology. Three patients were alive without disease at 1, 10, and 22 years. One patient was alive with persistent disease at 1 year. One patient's clinical course was unique in that the primary thymic tumor was found 16 years after a metastasis had been detected in two distant lymph nodes. The two possible explanations for the coexistence here described are as follows: 1) a CD-like reaction to the tumor as the morphologic manifestation of a host immune response; and 2) a malignancy engrafted upon preexisting HVCD of the thymus, in a manner analogous to that operating in the reported cases of tumors of dendritic/reticulum cells complicating HVCD at other sites. The first hypothesis is favored, with the added suggestion that the CD-like reaction may bear a relationship to the peculiarly indolent behavior that these tumors exhibit.