Management of myasthenic patients with thymoma.
Myasthenia gravis (MG) associated with thymomas differs from nonthymomatous MG, and thymomas associated with MG are also different from non-MG thymomas. According to the World Health Organization classification, the incidence of MG in thymomas was the highest in the subtypes B2, B1, and AB. Transsternal approach is still regarded as the gold standard for surgical treatment of thymomas. Less-invasive techniques of thymectomy are promising, but it is too early to estimate their real oncological value. In the series including more than 100 patients, the prognosis for survival is better in patients with thymomas associated with MG than in those with non-MG thymomas, and the prognosis for patients with MG associated with thymoma is worse than that for patients with nonthymomatous MG.
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Pulmonary Hospital, Zakopane, Poland. marcinz@mp.pl
Marcin
M
Zieliński
D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000150:complications; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000150:complications*; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000150:complications; D010956:Plasmapheresis; D012074:Remission Induction; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted; D013934:Thymectomy; D013945:Thymoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents