title: [Results of surgical treatment for thymic epithelial tumors with special reference to the WHO classification].
abstract: We examined the clinical significance of World Health Organization (WHO) classification based on a surgical experience with 71 patients. There were 6, 21, 6, 10, 14, and 14 patients with type A, AB, B1, B2, B3 and C tumors. In these patients, average stage by Masaoka's classification was significantly associated with the WHO classification. Invasive tumors of stage III and IV were seen more frequently in patients with type B2, B3 and C tumors than in those with type A, AB and B1. The incidence of tumors invading the lung, the pericardia or the pleura was higher in type B2, B3 and C than in type A, AB or B1. Furthermore, tumor recurrences and tumor-related deaths were seen only in patients with type B2, B3 or C. This study suggested that type B2, B3 and C tumors had more malignant nature in terms of invasiveness, recurrence and prognosis following operation, and that WHO classification may be a useful guideline for planning treatment of thymic epithelial tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Mie University School of Medicine, Tsu, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujinaga
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takao
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sai
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yada
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hirano
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yada
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shiraishi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009375:Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / Q000145:classification* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013945:Thymoma / Q000145:classification* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000145:classification* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D014944:World Health Organization