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Review
. 2023 Dec 29;16(1):166.
doi: 10.3390/cancers16010166.

Molecular and Functional Key Features and Oncogenic Drivers in Thymic Carcinomas

Serena Barachini  1 , Eleonora Pardini  2 , Irene Sofia Burzi  2 , Gisella Sardo Infirri  2 , Marina Montali  1 , Iacopo Petrini  2
Affiliations
Review

Molecular and Functional Key Features and Oncogenic Drivers in Thymic Carcinomas

Serena Barachini et al. Cancers (Basel). .

Abstract

Thymic epithelial tumors, comprising thymic carcinomas and thymomas, are rare neoplasms. They differ in histology, prognosis, and association with autoimmune diseases such as myasthenia gravis. Thymomas, but not thymic carcinomas, often harbor GTF2I mutations. Mutations of CDKN2A, TP53, and CDKN2B are the most common thymic carcinomas. The acquisition of mutations in genes that control chromatin modifications and epigenetic regulation occurs in the advanced stages of thymic carcinomas. Anti-angiogenic drugs and immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 axis have shown promising results for the treatment of unresectable tumors. Since thymic carcinomas are frankly aggressive tumors, this report presents insights into their oncogenic drivers, categorized under the established hallmarks of cancer.

Keywords: GTF2I; and apoptosis; angiogenesis; hallmarks of cancers; immunotherapy; thymic carcinoma; thymic epithelial tumors.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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