title: Treatment of recurrent thymic tumors.
abstract: Surgery is the cornerstone of therapy for recurrent thymic tumors. The pattern of recurrence is, however, less defined. Between 1966 and 1988, we operated on 83 patients with thymoma, 11 of whom underwent surgery for recurrence (group I). In 1989, we initiated a prospective multimodality protocol and have enrolled 128 patients with 9 (7%) recurrences since (group II). In group I, 1 patient was originally at stage I, 2 were at stage II, 5 at stage III, and 3 at stage IV. The patients underwent 1 (#10) or 2 (#1) reoperations and 5 showed histological progression of malignancy. One patient died postoperatively, 6 died of disease, and 3 are alive and disease free 18 to 22 years after the first operation. In group 2, no patient was originally at stage I, 1 was at stage II, 4 were at stage III, and 4 at stage IV. Reoperation (5 patients) was followed by chemotherapy and 2 showed histological progression of disease. One patient died after 2 years, and 4 patients are alive after 6 to 11 years. All recurrent tumors were thymomas with cortical differentiation. Early onset of recurrence was a negative prognostic factor. Thymomas can recur also at early stages. A multimodality approach is indicated also for early stage lesions based on histology.
authors.affiliation: University of Rome, Division of Thoracic Surgery, University La Sapienza Ospedale Sant'Andrea via di Grottarossa 1035, 00189 Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ciccone
authors.forename: Erino A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Rendina
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D015996:Survival Rate; D013934:Thymectomy / Q000379:methods; D013945:Thymoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome