Mediastinum - Basaloid squamous cell carcinoma

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Mediastinum

Thymic carcinoma

Basaloid squamous cell carcinoma

Reviewer: Hanni Gulwani, M.D. (see Reviewers page)
Revised: 3 March 2013, last major update December 2012
Copyright: (c) 2003-2013, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.

General
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● Primary thymic tumor or metastatic tumor to mediastinum from oropharynx, hypopharynx, larynx, esophagus, lung, anorectum

Clinical features
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● Present with intrathoracic mass
● Primary tumors are associated with multilocular thymic cysts
● Capable of aggressive behavior and significant mortality (Am J Surg Pathol 2009;33:1113)

Prognostic factors
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● Good prognosis with few fatalities if well differentiated

Micro description
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● Nests, cords and sheets of small polygonal cells with minimal cytoplasm, hyperchromatic round nuclei, abundant mitotic figures
● No nuclear molding
● Separated by myxoid or eosinophilic stroma
● May have peripheral pallisading of nuclei
● May have areas of squamous differentiation with keratin pearls, or stromal mucin containing gland-like profiles
● May have cystic structures

Micro images
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Prominent peripheral palisading

Positive stains
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● CD117, EMA, keratin

Negative stains
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● Neuroendocrine markers

Electron microscopy description
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● Poorly differentiated squamous proliferation with limited cytoplasmic tonofilaments, well-formed desmosomes, redundant basal lamina
● No neurosecretory granules

End of Mediastinum > Thymic carcinoma > Basaloid squamous cell carcinoma

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