Interleukin-6-producing undifferentiated thymic carcinoma with neuroendocrine features

Lung Cancer. 2009 Mar;63(3):425-9. doi: 10.1016/j.lungcan.2008.07.018. Epub 2008 Sep 19.

Abstract

Undifferentiated thymic carcinoma is a rare tumor of the thymus. Due to the extreme rarity of undifferentiated thymic carcinoma, very limited information about its characteristics is available. We encountered an autopsy case of a 33-year-old woman diagnosed as having an undifferentiated thymic carcinoma with a high inflammatory response. The patient's serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) was elevated to 1930 pg/ml, and immunohistochemical staining of the carcinoma cells was positive for neuroendocrine markers and IL-6. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of an IL-6-producing undifferentiated thymic carcinoma with neuroendocrine features that shows a novel potential to produce IL-6.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Biopsy
  • C-Reactive Protein / metabolism*
  • Carcinoma / diagnostic imaging
  • Carcinoma / metabolism*
  • Carcinoma / pathology
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Interleukin-6 / biosynthesis*
  • Interleukin-6 / blood
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Peptide Fragments / metabolism*
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
  • Thymus Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Thymus Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Thymus Neoplasms / pathology
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Interleukin-6
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • pro-gastrin-releasing peptide (31-98)
  • C-Reactive Protein