[Mediastinal tumors: pathology--a contribution to classification and prognosis]

Basing on 161 mediastinal tumours (thymomas, thymolipomas, thymus carcinoids, neurogenic and histiocytic tumours, malignant lymphomas) and tumour lesions (lymphofollicular thymus hyperplasia, known as Castleman's lymphoma), the article discusses problems of classification, differential histology and prognosis (taking staging groups and tumour-associated syndromes into consideration). The conventional light microscopic methods are often insufficient to accurately classify a specific tumour. The repertoire of morphological methods has in recent years been significantly extended by immunohistological methods. The use of these diagnostically very efficient methods, however, requires close interdisciplinary co-operation (e.g. in special fixation methods) between those competent for diagnosis and for therapy.