title: Long-Term Survival After Surgical Treatment of Thymic  Carcinoma: A Retrospective Analysis from the Chinese Alliance  for Research of Thymoma Database.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Thymic carcinoma is a type of rare and highly malignant tumor that originates from the thymic epithelium. Treatment and prognosis of thymic carcinoma remain controversial. We retrospectively analyzed survival data from a large-sample multicenter database in China.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Chinese Alliance for Research of Thymoma constructed a retrospective database of patients with thymic epithelial tumors, which enrolled 1930 patients from January 1996 to August 2013, including 329 with thymic carcinomas. In this study, we analyzed clinical, pathologic, and treatment information, measured long-term survival rates, and identified relevant prognostic factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 329 patients, R0 resection was performed in 211 (57.7 %), R1 in 34 (9.2 %), and R2 in 84 (22.5 %).The 3-, 5-, and 10-year survival rates were 78.3, 67.1, and 47.9 %, respectively. In univariate analysis, early Masaoka-Koga stage, R0 resection, and postoperative radiotherapy were associated with better overall survival.Early Masaoka-Koga stage and postoperative radiotherapy were also associated with disease-free survival. In multivariate analyses, R0 resection, Masaoka-Koga stage, and postoperative radiotherapy were significant prognostic factors of survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Complete resection is the preferred primary treatment for thymic carcinoma. R0 resection, early Masaoka-Koga stage, and postoperative radiotherapy are significant predictors of improved survival.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Zhi-Tao
authors.initials: ZT
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Wen-Tao
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Jian-Hua
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Yong-Tao
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Zhen-Tao
authors.initials: ZT
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Yin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Li-Jie
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Lie-Wen
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.forename: Ke-Neng
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018278:Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D013934:Thymectomy / Q000401:mortality*; D013945:Thymoma / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery