[Lymphoepithelial sialadenitis (LESA)-like Thymic hyperplasia: A case report]

Area of Science:

• Pathology
• Thoracic Surgery
• Oncology

Background:

• A 43-year-old male presented with shortness of breath and chest pain.
• Past medical history included childhood cardiac surgery for a congenital heart defect and adult intracerebral bleeding.
• No history of autoimmune disorders was reported.

Observation:

• Computed tomography revealed a 4 × 3 × 3 cm anterior mediastinal mass with calcification and cystic components.
• Initial suspicion was a malignant tumor, necessitating a thymectomy.
• Histopathology showed an unusual thymic hyperplasia mimicking salivary gland lymphoepithelial sialadenitis (LESA).

Findings:

• Staging CT scans of the neck, thorax, and abdomen showed no lymphadenopathy or splenomegaly.
• Laboratory tests and clinical examination revealed no abnormalities, ruling out lymphoma.
• The thymic hyperplasia was confirmed as a benign condition.

Implications:

• Lymphoepithelial sialadenitis of the thymus is a rare disorder, first described in 2012.
• Thymectomy appears to be curative for this benign condition.
• This case highlights the importance of histopathological evaluation for accurate diagnosis of mediastinal masses.