title: A pilot study of cisplatin and etoposide with and without radiotherapy for advanced malignant thymoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Thymoma is a rare neoplasm of the mediastinum, for which very few data on the efficacy and safety of chemotherapy and chemoradiotherapy are available. The objective of this pilot study was to assess the safety and efficacy of cisplatin, etoposide, and radiotherapy for thymoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with advanced, previously-untreated thymoma (Masaoka classification), measurable disease, and a performance status of 0-2 were eligible, and were treated with cisplatin-plus-etoposide, together with radiotherapy when possible.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One patient achieved complete response, and seven achieved partial responses. Progression-free survival was 37.7 months (95% confidence interval = 18.6-56.8 months). Ten patients had grade 4 neutropenia, and five patients had grade 3 febrile neutropenia. However, other toxicities were relatively mild. To date, only five patients (45.5%) have died, and the median survival time is 128.1 months (95% confidence interval = 51.6-204.6 months). Patients treated with chemoradiotherapy had a good response and long progression-free survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The combination of cisplatin and etoposide with or without radiotherapy is effective for advanced thymoma, and has an acceptable toxicity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Kinki-Chuo Chest Medical Center, 1180 Nagasone-cho, Kita-ku, Sakai City, Osaka 591-8555, Japan. atamiya@kch.hosp.go.jp.
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tamiya
authors.forename: Akihide
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matsumura
authors.forename: Taisuke
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsuji
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morimoto
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Asami
authors.forename: Kyoichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okishio
authors.forename: Shigeki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Hyung-Eun
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Atagi
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akira
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kitaichi
authors.forename: Tomoya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawaguchi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013945:Thymoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005047:Etoposide; D002945:Cisplatin
keywords: Thymoma; cisplatin; etoposide; radiotherapy; thymus; toxicity