Epstein-Barr virus-positive undifferentiated thymic carcinoma in a 12-year-old white girl

Thymic epithelial malignant diseases are extremely rare in children. The au thors report a 12-year-old white girl admitted for a polymetastatic tumor o f the anterior mediastinum. Tumor proliferation was typical of an undiffere ntiated thymic carcinoma. A close link between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and the tumor was established by a high titer of anti-VCA IgA and the presence of EBV RNA and DNA in the tumor. In addition, monoclonal viral episomes we re present in tumor cells, indicating that EBV infection was an early event in the oncogenic process. The patient died despite resection, irradiation, and chemotherapy.