Thymic pigmented carcinoid tumour, melanocytic neuroendocrine carcinoma of the thymus

Histopathology

These carcinoids may or may not be of spindle cell morphology. As in analogous tumours in the lung and thyroid, the pigment is produced by melanocytes which form a component of the tumour.

Immunohistochemistry

 

Chromogranin

1/11, 1/13

 

Synaptophysin

1/11, 0/13

NSE

1/11, 1/12

CD57

1/11, 1/13

ACTH

1/1 (scattered cells)1, 1/12

calcitonin

0/11

serotonin

0/11

somatostatin

0/11

Cam5.2

1/11

AE3

0/11

Cytokeratin 19

0/11

S-100

pigmented cells positive1, 1/12

HMB45

0/11

   

References

 

1Kuo, T. T. (2002). "Pigmented spindle cell carcinoid tumour of the thymus with ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone secretion: report of a rare variant and differential diagnosis of mediastinal spindle cell neoplasms." Histopathology 40(2): 159-65.

2Lagrange, W., H. H. Dahm, et al. (1987). "Melanocytic neuroendocrine carcinoma of the thymus." Cancer 59(3): 484-8.

3Klemm, K. M., C. A. Moran, et al. (1999). "Pigmented thymic carcinoids: a clinicopathological and immunohistochemical study of two cases." Mod Pathol 12(10): 946-8.

Ho, F. C. and J. C. Ho (1977). "Pigmented carcinoid tumour of the thymus." Histopathology 1(5): 363-9.