摘要：

During the past two decades, substantial progress has been made in the understanding of the biology of the thymus gland and, therefore, in the pathology and clinical behaviour of thymic tumours (Levine and Rosai 1978; Janossy et al. 1980; CIBA Foundation Symposium No. 84 1981; Otto 1984; Müller-Hermelink 1986; Hofmann et al. 1989). Thymic tumors are classified according to their morphological features and presumed histogenesis. They include tumors arising from thymic epithelial cells (thymomas, thymic carcinomas), neuroendocrine cells (carcinoid tumours of the thymus, neuroectodermal carcinomas), lymphoid cells (malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphomas of T- and B-cell types and Hodgkin's disease), and adipose tissue (thymolipomas). All other tumours (myoid and histiocytic) and tumour-like lesions (cysts, hyperplasia) are extremely rare.

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