Thymic Lymphoepithelial Carcinoma in Children: Report of Four Cases and Review of Literature

Background: Thymic lymphoepithelial carcinoma (TLEC) is a rare subtype of thymic carcinoma that primarily affects middle-aged and older adults and is extremely rare in children. We present four cases of TLEC in children and reviewed the pertinent literature to investigate the clinical and pathological characteristics. Case Report: All four patients are male, with an average age of 10 years (range: 9-13 years). Imaging studies consistently showed an anterior mediastinal mass with a diameter of 5-15 cm. Serum EB virus (EBV) antigen was positive in three patients. Three patients were at Masaoka stage IIb and all survived after surgery, while one patient at Masaoka stage IV died nine months after surgery. Discussion: Males are more likely than females to be affected by the TLEC, which mainly affects older kids. Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization tests are useful for diagnosis, and the tumor's occurrence is tightly linked to EBV infection.