Multidisciplinary treatment of malignant thymoma

Abstract

Purpose of review: Thymomas are the most common tumors of the anterior mediastinum. Although surgery remains the only curative treatment, the use of multimodality therapy for primary unresectable thymomas has led to change the clinical management of these tumors.

Recent findings: Nowadays Masaoka stage, WHO, and radical surgical resection are considered by many authors as independent prognostic factors for long-term survival. Radiotherapy may be useful as adjuvant therapy in cases of incomplete surgical resection with microscopic or macroscopic residual disease, or for those patients with locally advanced or metastatic unresectable disease. Chemotherapy is considered a valid option in selected patients with residual disease after local treatments or as a neoadjuvant approach to improve resectability in Masaoka stages III or IV-a thymomas. Currently, no standardized regimen for chemotherapy or agreed timing exists.

Summary: So far, multimodality treatment has been related to low morbidity and long survival rate, but there are still many concerns regarding a different regimen of therapy and the correct timing.