[Thymic carcinoid. Case report and review of the literature (author's transl)]

A case of a primary thymic carcinoid tumour of a 32 year old male is reported, and the previously published 25 cases are reviewed. The neoplasms occur in adults, predominantly in males: they are located in the anterior or antero-superior mediastinum. The only sufficient treatment is the surgical excision; through radiotherapy may be indicated in some cases, too. The tumour is characterized by the formation of rosettes, ribbons and garlands; sheet-like or medullary areas, and large clusters with central necrosis. The tumour is positive for the Grimelius argyrophil silver stain. Ultrastructurally numerous dense-core "neurosecretory" granules are observed. The formal pathogenesis is similar to that of carcinoid tumours of other locations; particularly of those arriving from derivates of the foregut, respectively from the APUD cell system. At present it cannot be decided whether this particular tumour of the thymus represents an autochthonic thymic carcinoid or simply a teratoma with a differentiation in one direction in the sence of a simplified teratoma.