Malignant thymoma invading pulmonary artery. Changing treatment options.
BACKGROUND
Curative treatment of malignant thymoma is resection; however, this may be precluded by invasion of vital organs.


METHODS
Two patients with extensive intrathoracic spread of thymoma (Stages III and IV A) are presented. Treatment involved a combination of resection, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.


RESULTS
One patient survived 9 years, 4 months, but eventually died of metastatic spread; the other one is well and without evidence of disease 30 months after treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Thymoma is a slow-growing tumor. Successful surgical treatment in advanced cases is possible, if aided by radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The adjuvant therapy converts a non-resectable tumor to a resectable one.
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tel Aviv University Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv, Israel. dovw@ccsg.tau.ac.il
D
D
Weissberg
A J
AJ
Cohen
H
H
Hayat
A
A
Schachner
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011651:Pulmonary Artery; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D013945:Thymoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D019043:Vascular Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014750:Vincristine / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes; D014750:Vincristine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D002945:Cisplatin