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Virchows Archiv
Published in: Virchows Archiv 3/2016

01-09-2016 | Review and Perspectives

The spectrum of ectopic thymomas

Authors: Annikka Weissferdt, Cesar A Moran

Published in: Virchows Archiv | Issue 3/2016

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Abstract

Thymomas are rare tumors that usually manifest in the anterosuperior mediastinum. Occasionally, thymomas may also originate from ectopically dispersed thymic tissue and can arise in locations such as the neck, lung, or pleura or other locations in the thoracic cavity. The occurrence of thymomas in these ectopic locations can cause substantial diagnostic difficulty as the entity is almost never included in the differential diagnosis and its biphasic morphology can cause further complications during the diagnostic process. In this review, we summarize the clinical and pathological spectrum of ectopic thymomas and discuss the histogenesis, treatment, and prognosis of these extraordinary tumors.
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Metadata
Title
The spectrum of ectopic thymomas
Authors
Annikka Weissferdt
Cesar A Moran
Publication date
01-09-2016
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Virchows Archiv / Issue 3/2016
Print ISSN: 0945-6317
Electronic ISSN: 1432-2307
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00428-016-1967-0

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