Outcome in excised thymomas: role of prognostic factors and impact of additional malignancies on survival.
OBJECTIVE
Although the management of thymomas has been extensively evaluated, the value of prognostic factors in the outcome of these patients remains unclear.


RESULTS
The medical records of all patients who underwent resection of thymoma between January 1985 and September 2010 at a single thoracic unit were reviewed. Patients were followed up with reference to disease recurrence and development of additional malignancies (AM). Total thymectomy was performed in all 68 cases. Mean follow-up time was four years. Mean survival was 63.9 months. Mean disease-free interval was 13 months. Factors affecting prognosis were Masaoka staging and WHO histological sub-type. Patients with thymomas had a higher risk of developing AM when compared with a control population of individuals with other tumours (p = 0.0002). Among thymomas, the cortical subtype was associated with a higher risk of AM (p = 0.047) and mortality (p = 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
This data confirms that Masaoka staging and WHO histologic sub-type are the most important prognostic factors in patients with thymoma. Moreover, thymomas predominantly arising from the thymic cortex are associated with a higher risk of developing other malignancies and with poorer survival. The cortical origin of thymoma could therefore be considered as a significant prognostic factor.
Professor of Genetics, Department of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, Golden Jubilee National Hospital, Scotland.
F
F
Granato
V
V
Blackhall
R
R
Alessandra
D
D
Spina
V
V
Luca
P
P
Piero
S
S
Mohiyaddin
M
M
Asif
A J B
AJ
Kirk
Gotti
G
Giuseppe
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013934:Thymectomy; D013945:Thymoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy
Thymoma; neoplasms; prognosis