[A case of squamous cell carcinoma of the thymus]

A case of squamous cell carcinoma of the thymus was reported. A 60-year-old female was admitted because of swelling of left cervical and left axillary lymph nodes. Chest X-ray revealed left anterior mediastinal mass shadow. The histological examination on the excised left axillary lymph nodes revealed well differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. After radiotherapy, the operation was performed with median sternotomy and then the mediastinal tumor was diagnosed squamous cell carcinoma originated from the thymus. The postoperative course of the patient was unfavorable, though adjacent postoperative radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Compared with ordinary thymoma, squamous cell carcinoma of the thymus commonly metastasizes outside the thorax and has poor prognosis. In view of these differences, it should be separated histologically from ordinary thymoma.