Thymoma. A clinicopathologic review.
The clinical and pathologic features of 283 patients with thymoma treated at the Mayo Clinic (147 female and 136 male; ages 16 years to 90 years; mean, 52 years) were examined. Forty-six percent of the patients had myasthenia gravis and 10% had other paraneoplastic phenomena. The tumors were locally invasive at operation in 32%, including 6% with metastasis to lung or pleura. Intrathoracic recurrence was noted postoperatively in 15% of those who had total excision and distant metastasis developed in 3% of patients. Thirteen percent died of their thymomas and 16% died of myasthenia. Overall 5-year survival was 67% and 10-year survival was 53%. Poor prognostic factors included presence of tumor-related symptoms, large tumor size, local invasion or metastasis in initial operation, and predominantly epithelial histologic features. Although true thymomas are composed of cytologically benign elements, they show a propensity for local invasion and intrathoracic recurrence. They rarely metastasize outside the thorax.
Lewis
J E
JE
Department of Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905.
Wick
M R
MR
Scheithauer
B W
BW
Bernatz
P E
PE
Taylor
W F
WF
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D010257:Paraneoplastic Syndromes / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D013945:Thymoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy / Q000648:ultrastructure