[Clinicopathological features and prognosis of thymic carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the clinicopathologic features of thymic carcinoma and assess its prognostic factors.


METHODS
A retrospective analysis was performed in 54 patients with thymic carcinoma who underwent surgical resection. Eighteen patients were treated by total resection of the tumor, 17 partial resection and 10 exploratory thoracotomy. The clinical stage was determined according to Masaoka's classification. The survival time and prognostic factors were evaluated by the log-rank and Cox multivariate analysis model.


RESULTS
The overall 5-year survival rate was 44.4%. Being located in anterior mediastinum and noncalcification in the tumor pathognomonically played an important role in the differential diagnosis. According to the multivariate analysis, tumor maximum diameter (OR = 1.84), histological subtype (OR = 1.70), completeness of resection (OR = 1.37), tumor invasion of peritumoral organs (OR = 1.32) and postoperative recurrence (OR = 1.26) were significant prognostic factors. Compared with other subtypes, carcinoid tumor had the characteristics of earlier lesion, better resection rate and better prognosis.


CONCLUSIONS
The most important prognostic variables for thymic carcinoma are tumor maximum diameter, histological subtype, completeness of resection, tumoral invasion and postoperative recurrence. Complete resection followed by chemoradiotherapy should be considered as favorable on the basis of a definitive pathologic diagnosis.
Department of Thoracic Surgical Oncology, Cancer Institute (Hospital), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China.
Jian
J
Li
De-chao
DC
Zhang
Liang-jun
LJ
Wang
Da-wei
DW
Zhang
Ru-gang
RG
Zhang
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery