title: Efficacy of docetaxel as a second-line chemotherapy for thymic carcinoma.
abstract: Thymic carcinoma is a rare and aggressive tumor, and the efficacy of second-line chemotherapy is still unclear. Here, we reported a case of thymic carcinoma that responded well to the administration of docetaxel alone as a second-line chemotherapy. A 64-year-old woman was diagnosed with thymic carcinoma (squamous cell type) with bone metastasis, and she, therefore, received nedaplatin combined with etoposide and ifosfamide. She responded partially, after which she received irradiation for bone metastasis. Two months after chemotherapy, the thymic carcinoma exhibited gradual regrowth and she experienced shoulder pain. We treated this with docetaxel alone (60 mg/m2 every 4 weeks). After three courses of docetaxel, we observed a partial response and her shoulder pain disappeared. This case demonstrated that docetaxel is effective as a second-line chemotherapy for thymic carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Molecular Science, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Oguri
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Achiwa
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Hiroyoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Niimi
authors.forename: Shigeki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Ryuzo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ueda
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology*; D000077143:Docetaxel; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D008482:Mediastinum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D016879:Salvage Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary; D043823:Taxoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013945:Thymoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D043823:Taxoids; D000077143:Docetaxel