Pediatr Blood Cancer BRIEF REPORT Thymic Carcinoma in Children

Mediastinal masses in children comprise a heterogeneous group of malignant and benign neoplasms. The majority of malignant tumors of mediastinum are Hodgkins and non-Hodgkins lymphomas, germ cell tumors, and neuroblastomas. Thymic tumors account for 1.5% of mediastinal masses in children [1]. Thymomas, thymic carcinoids, and thymic carcinomas constitute thymic epithelial neoplasms (TEN). Carcinomas are malignant tumors of the thymus characterized by obvious cytological anaplasia, extensive infiltration of surrounding tissues, and extrathoracic metastasis [2]. Carcinomas constitute only 4%–14% of thymic epithelial neoplasms [3,4]. Thymic epithelial neoplasms are usually seen in the fourth and fifth decades of life. Thymic carcinoma rarely occurs in children [3–5]. In addition to a review of previous cases in literature, herewe report a case of thymic carcinoma in a child who presented with a mediastinal mass.