Primary carcinoid of posterior mediastinum: truth or myth!

Mediastinal masses present challenging problems in thoracic practice. Most of them remain asymptomatic for long and by the time the pressure symptoms develop, these are quite advanced. Carcinoids arising from the mediastinum are invariably related to thymus. Non-thymic origin of mediastinal carcinoids is rare, especially in the posterior mediastinum. Only two cases of posterior mediastinal carcinoids have been reported so far. These were assumed to be arising from ectopic thymus tissue. We report a case of a 45-year-old woman who presented with dyspnoea and dry cough due to giant carcinoid tumour of the mediastinum, the pedicle originating from the posterior mediastinum, not related to thymus. She underwent thoracotomy and resection that provided relief. The immunochemical studies revealed positive reaction to cytokeratin, chromogranins and synaptophysin, and negative reaction to S100, CD99 (MIC2) confirming the tumour being neuroendocrine in nature.

Tuberculosis of the breast in an adolescent girl: a rare presentation.

Tuberculosis (TB) of the breast is a rare condition and usually affects women in the reproductive age group. Its further rarity in children, even in India, where TB is rampant, poses challenges in its diagnosis. Histopathology plays an important role in the diagnosis of this condition. We report a case of TB of the breast in a 15-year-old girl proven by histopathological study.