Background: Thymomas are malignant thymic epithelial tumors that are difficult to diagnose due to their rarity and complex diagnostic criteria. They represent a morphologically heterogeneous class of tumors mainly defined by "organo-typical" architectural features and cellular composition. The diagnosis of thymoma is burdened with a high level of inter-observer variability and the problem that some type-specific morphological alterations are more on the continuum than clear-cut. Methylation pattern-based classification may help to increase diagnostic precision, particularly in borderline cases.
Methods and results: We applied array-based DNA methylation analysis to a set of 113 thymomas with stringent histological annotation. Unsupervised clustering and t-SNE analysis of DNA methylation data clearly segregated thymoma samples mainly according to the current WHO classification into A, AB, B1, B2, B2/B3, B3, and micronodular thymoma with lymphoid stroma. However, methylation analyses separated the histological subgroups AB and B2 into two methylation classes: mono-/bi-phasic AB-thymomas and conventional/"B1-like" B2-thymomas. Copy number variation analysis demonstrated methylation class-specific patterns of chromosomal alterations.
Interpretation: Our study demonstrates that the current WHO classification is generally well reflected at the methylation level but suggests that B2- and AB-thymomas are (epi)genetically heterogeneous. Methylation-based classifications could help to refine diagnostic criteria for thymoma classification, improve reproducibility, and may affect treatment decisions.
Keywords: copy number; epigenetics; methylation; thymic epithelial tumors; thymoma.