Browse > Article

Clinical Features of Thymic Epithelial Tumors  

Mok, Jeong Ha (Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine)
Seol, Hee Yun (Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine)
Kim, Ji Eun (Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine)
Kim, Ki Uk (Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine)
Park, Hye-Kyung (Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine)
Lee, Ho Seok (Department of Thoracic Surgery, Pusan National University School of Medicine)
Kim, Young Dae (Department of Thoracic Surgery, Pusan National University School of Medicine)
Kim, Yun Seong (Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine)
Lee, Chang Hun (Department of Pathology, Pusan National University School of Medicine)
Lee, Min Ki (Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine)
Park, Soon Kew (Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine)
Publication Information
Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases / v.65, no.1, 2008 , pp. 23-28 More about this Journal
Abstract
Background: Thymic epithelial tumors are the most common tumors affecting the anterior mediastinum. The aim of this study is to investigate clinical features of the patients who were diagnosed with thymic epithelial tumors at Pusan National University Hospital. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of thirty-seven patients who were diagnosed with thymic epithelial tumors from Jan. 1997 to Jan. 2007. The pathological classification and clinical stage of the thymic epithelial tumors were based on the WHO classification and Masaoka's staging system. A total 37 patients were enrolled: 23 were males and 14 were females, and their mean age was 51.3 years. Results: Thirty patients presented symptoms at the time of diagnosis and their symptoms were as follows: chest pain (53%), dyspnea (23%), and cough (17%). Myasthenia gravis was diagnosed in five patients. With respect to the tumor staging, three cases (8%) were stage I, 10 cases (28%) were stage II, 12 cases (32%) were stage III, 6 cases (16%) were stage IVA and 6 cases (16%) were stage IVB. Twenty-four cases (67%) displayed stage III or IV disease. The pathological types according to the WHO classification were as follows: B1 (32%), C (23%), B3 (20%), B2 (16%), AB (6%) and A (3%). Twenty-four patients underwent thymothymectomy and four of these patients relapsed. Stage III or type B3 was common in the relapsed patients. Five patientsexpired. Stage IV or type B3 and C were common in the expired patients. Conclusion: In this study, stage III or IV disease and type B3 or C were common at the time of diagnosis and these findings might contribute to postoperative recurrence and a poor outcome.
Keywords
Thymic epithelial tumor; Thymoma; Thymic carcinoma; Clinical features;
Citations & Related Records

Times Cited By SCOPUS : 0
연도 인용수 순위
  • Reference
1 Detterbeck FC. Clinical value of the WHO classification system of thymoma. Ann Thorac Surg 2006;81:2328-34.   DOI   ScienceOn
2 Drachman DB. Myasthenia gravis. N Engl J Med 1994;330:1797-810.   DOI   ScienceOn
3 Okumura M, Ohta M, Tateyama H, Nakagawa K, Matsumura A, Maeda H, et al. The World Health Organization histologic classification system reflects the oncologic behavior of thymoma: a clinical study of 273 patients. Cancer 2002;94:624-32.   DOI   ScienceOn
4 Strobel P, Bauer A, Puppe B, Kraushaar T, Krein A, Toyka K, et al. Tumor recurrence and survival in patients treated for thymomas and thymic squamous cell carcinoma: a retrospective analysis. J Clin Oncol 2004;22:1501-9.   DOI   ScienceOn
5 Hernandez-Ilizaliturri FJ, Tan D, Cipolla D, Connolly G, Debb G, Ramnath N. Multimodality therapy for thymic carcinoma (TCA): results of a 30-year single-institution experience. Am J Clin Oncol 2004;27:68-72.   DOI   ScienceOn
6 Lucchi M, Mussi A, Basolo F, Ambrogi MC, Fontanini G, Angeletti CA. The multimodality treatment of thymic carcinoma. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2001;19:566-9.   DOI   ScienceOn
7 Berruti A, Borasio P, Gerbino A, Gorzegno G, Moschini T, Tampellini M, et al. Primary chemotherapy with adriamycin, cisplatin, vincristine and cyclophosphamide in locally advanced thymomas: a single institution experience. Br J Cancer 1999;81:841-5.   DOI   ScienceOn
8 Rea F, Sartori F, Loy M, Calabro F, Fornasiero A, Daniele O, et al. Chemotherapy and operation for invasive thymoma. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1993;106:543-9.
9 Rena O, Papalia E, Maggi G, Oliaro A, Ruffini E, Filosso P, et al. World Health Organization histologic classification: an independent prognostic factor in resected thymomas. Lung Cancer 2005;50:59-66.   DOI   ScienceOn
10 Shin DM, Walsh GL, Komaki R, Putnam JB, Nesbitt J, Ro JY, et al. A multidisciplinary approach to therapy for unresectable malignant thymoma. Ann Intern Med 1998;129:100-4.   DOI   ScienceOn
11 Ogawa K, Uno T, Toita T, Onishi H, Yoshida H, Kakinohana Y, et al. Postoperative radiotherapy for patients with completely resected thymoma: a multi-institutional, retrospective review of 103 patients. Cancer 2002;94:1405-13.   DOI   ScienceOn
12 Masaoka A, Monden Y, Nakahara K, Tanioka T. Followup study of thymomas with special reference to their clinical stages. Cancer 1981;48:2485-92.   DOI   ScienceOn
13 Kim ES, Putnam JB, Komaki R, Walsh GL, Ro JY, Shin HJ, et al. Phase II study of a multidisciplinary approach with induction chemotherapy, followed by surgical resection, radiation therapy, and consolidation chemotherapy for unresectable malignant thymomas: final report. Lung Cancer 2004;44:369-79.   DOI   ScienceOn
14 Eng TY, Fuller CD, Jagirdar J, Bains Y, Thomas CR Jr. Thymic carcinoma: state of the art review. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2004;59:654-64.   DOI   ScienceOn
15 Park MS, Chung KY, Kim KD, Yang WI, Chung JH, Kim YS, et al. Prognosis of thymic epithelial tumors according to the new World Health Organization histologic classification. Ann Thorac Surg 2004;78:992-7.   DOI   ScienceOn
16 Curran WJ Jr, Kornstein MJ, Brooks JJ, Turrisi AT 3rd. Invasive thymoma: the role of mediastinal irradiation following complete or incomplete surgical resection. J Clin Oncol 1988;6:1722-7.   DOI
17 Levine GD, Rosai J. Thymic hyperplasia and neoplasia: a review of current concepts. Hum Pathol 1978;9:495-515.   DOI   ScienceOn
18 Chen G, Marx A, Wen-Hu C, Yong J, Puppe B, Stroebel P, et al. New WHO histologic classification predicts prognosis of thymic epithelial tumors: a clinicopathologic study of 200 thymoma cases from China. Cancer 2002;95:420-9.   DOI   ScienceOn
19 Marino M, Muller-Hermelink HK. Thymoma and thymic carcinoma. Relation of thymoma epithelial cells to the cortical and medullary differentiation of thymus. Virchows Arch A Pathol Anat Histopathol 1985;407:119-49.   DOI
20 Engels EA, Pfeiffer RM. Malignant thymoma in the United States: demographic patterns in incidence and associations with subsequent malignancies. Int J Cancer 2003;105:546-51.   DOI   ScienceOn
21 Maggi G, Casadio C, Cavallo A, Cianci R, Molinatti M, Ruffini E. Thymoma: results of 241 operated cases. Ann Thorac Surg 1991;51:152-6.   DOI   ScienceOn
22 Haniuda M, Miyazawa M, Yoshida K, Oguchi M, Sakai F, Izuno I, et al. Is postoperative radiotherapy for thymoma effective? Ann Surg 1996;224:219-24.   DOI
23 Macchiarini P, Chella A, Ducci F, Rossi B, Testi C, Bevilacqua G, et al. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgery, and postoperative radiation therapy for invasive thymoma. Cancer 1991;68:706-13.   DOI   ScienceOn