title: Thymoma and radiation therapy: a systematic review of medical treatment.
abstract: Thymoma is the most common tumor in the anterior mediastinum (50% in adults). This review presents an update of thymoma treatment, commonly based on the Masaoka clinical staging system. The best treatment option is complete resection with no adjuvant approach in early stages and complete response. For incomplete resection, postoperative radiotherapy is recommended (5-year survival: 50-60%). For unresectable disease, concurrent chemoradiotherapy is performed. In conclusion, high technology (3D radiotherapy, 4D radiotherapy, intensity-modulated radiotherapy, image-guided radiotherapy and computed tomography fusion with PET scan) optimizes tumor target definition and provides dose escalation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Therapy, Attikon University General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giannopoulou
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gkiozos
authors.forename: Kevin J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Harrington
authors.forename: Konstantinos N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Syrigos
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006801:Humans; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D050397:Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated; D013945:Thymoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents