title: The role of preoperative radiotherapy for invasive thymoma.
abstract: Six patients with large invasive thymomas were treated by preoperative irradiation with 12 to 20 Gy before total or partial resection of the tumor. The responses of these 6 thymomas were estimated on the chest radiograms as follows; complete response in 2 patients, partial response in 3 and no response in one. Although the clinical responses varied, the surgical specimens of all the tumors pronounced severe fibrosis, probably not related to irradiation, and necrotic foci with a few viable tumor cells. Total resection of the thymoma was performed in 3 patients and subtotal resection in 3. Adhered or involved surrounding tissues such as the pericardium, pleura and/or veins were also resected in most patients. Preoperative radiotherapy facilitated total or subtotal resection of the invasive thymoma mass by reducing the tumor volume.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Tsukuba, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohara
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okumura
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sugahara
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akisada
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yokose
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ogata
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mitsui
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011300:Preoperative Care; D013945:Thymoma / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery