- Cancer Types
Information about risk, prevention, screening, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and support for all cancers Cancer A to Z - Cancer Treatment
Cancer Treatment
Information about cancer treatment, including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, clinical trials, proton therapy, complementary medicine, and cutting edge technologies.
- Risk and Prevention
- Cancer Drugs
- Support
Support
Ways for cancer patients and caregivers to cope with cancer, side effects, nutrition, general cancer support issues, grief/end of life issues, and shared survivor's experiences.
- Healthcare Professionals
- Clinical Trials
My Patient Treatment Binder
OncoLink Blogs
What's My Cancer Risk?
OncoPilot: Navigating Your Cancer Journey
Community Events Calendar
OncoLink eNews
Abramson Cancer Center
NCI CANCERLIT® Search: Malignant Thymoma - May 2002
National Cancer Institute®
Last Modified: May 1, 2002
Table of Contents
1
UI - 11935304
AU - Henley JD; Koukoulis GK; Loehrer PJ Sr
TI -
Epidermal growth factor receptor expression in invasive thymoma.
SO - J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2002 Mar;128(3):167-70
AD - Department of Pathology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Clarian
Health Partners, 550 North University Blvd., Rm 3465, Indianapolis, IN
46202, USA. jhenley@iupui.edu
PURPOSE: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a transmembrane
glycoprotein with intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity. Activation results
in a variety of cellular responses including cell proliferation and
differentiation. In clinical trials, anti-EGFR is showing promise in the
treatment of solid tumors expressing EGFR. Thus, we assessed EGFR
expression in a series of thymic epithelial tumors. METHODS: Tumors from
37 patients seen at Indiana University School of Medicine (IUMC) for
treatment of thymoma (31 patients) or thymic carcinoma (six patients)
were assessed for EGFR expression. Five-micron sections of
formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor (28 invasive and/or metastatic
thymomas, six thymic carcinomas, and three non-invasive thymomas) were
stained with anti-EGFR. Any degree of cytoplasmic membrane staining of
tumor cells was considered positive; furthermore, staining was scored 0
to 3+ using criteria as standardized for HER-2/neu assessment of breast
carcinoma. Appropriate controls were performed. RESULTS: Positive
staining of tumor was observed in 28 tumors (23 invasive and/or
metastatic thymomas, two thymic carcinomas, and three non-invasive
thymomas). CONCLUSIONS: EGFR is expressed in a high percentage of thymic
epithelial tumors. EGFR is often strongly expressed and is a potential
therapeutic target in patients with malignant thymic tumors. We are
pursuing additional studies to assess anti-EGRF in the treatment of
patients with advanced thymoma.
2
UI - 11888800
AU - Tomita M; Matsuzaki Y; Onitsuka T
TI -
Relationship between expression of cancer-related proteins and tumor
invasiveness in thymoma.
SO - Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2002 Mar;21(3):596
3
UI - 11859721
AU - Li J; Wang L; Zhang D
TI -
[Cox multivariate analysis of prognosis and proposal on a modified
staging system of thymoma]
SO - Zhonghua Zhong Liu Za Zhi 2001 Nov;23(6):500-2
AD - Department of Thoracic Surgical Oncology, Cancer Institute (Hospital),
Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College,
Beijing 100021, China.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinicopathologic features, prognostic
factors and propose a new modified staging criteria for thymoma.
METHODS: The data of 159 patients operated for thymoma collected were
retrospectively analyzed as to their prognostic factors and criteria of
clinical staging through comparison of survival rates by the actuarial
method, Log-rank and Cox multivariable model. RESULTS: Thorough
resection (OR = 2.10), and extent of tumor invasion (OR = 1.73) were the
most important prognostic factors. Tumor with peritumoral adhesion and
absence of a complete capsule but without external invasion belonged to
the criteria of stage II (II a). According to the prognosis and state of
resection, lesions with obvious peritumoral invasion into the nearby
organs but were thoroughly resected belonged to stage II (II b) and
those incompletely resected belonged to III a. The unresectable lesions
belonged to III b. CONCLUSION: According to the Cox prognostic
multivariable model, the criteria of clinical staging of thymoma are
defined as: Stage I-completely encapsulated non-invasive tumor without
tight fibrous adhesions to the surroundings. Stage II a-only capsular
invasion or capsule incomplete or with tight fibrous adhesions to the
surroundings. II b-invasion into the surrounding fatty tissue, pleura,
partial pericardium or lung, Stage III a-invasion into the great
vessels, heart, trachea or hilus, which are resected with difficulty, or
only palliatively. III b-extensive invasion into the nearby organs, and
resection is impossible. Stage IV a-pleural or pericardial
dissemination, IV b-lymphatic or hematogenous metastasis.
4
UI - 11859722
AU - Ge D; Zheng R; Fan H
TI -
[Thymoma-report of 166 patients]
SO - Zhonghua Zhong Liu Za Zhi 2001 Nov;23(6):503-4
AD - Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhong Shan Hospital, Fu Dan University,
Shanghai 200032, China.
OBJECTIVE: To discuss the characteristics of operation and the prognosis
of 166 patients with thymoma. METHODS: 166 thymoma patients were treated
were 102 (61.4%) stage I, 28 (16.9%) stage II, 24 (14.5%) stage III, 12
(7.2%) stage IV a and 0 stage IV b lesions. The relation between stage
and survival rate was analyzed. RESULTS: One (0.6%) patient died of the
operation. 137 (82.5%) patients underwent radical operation. Thirty
patients were lost to follow-up. With the life table method, the 10-year
survival rate was 56.8%, with 79.8% for stage I, 51.6% for stage II,
33.5% for stage III and 0% for stage IV patients. CONCLUSION: Diagnosis
of thymoma still depends on both clinical and pathological findings,
which are correlated with stage. The principal treatment is to resect
the tumor as completely as possible so as to relieve the symptoms and
prolong the life of the patient.
5
UI - 11753243
AU - Palmieri G; Montella L; Lastoria S
TI -
[Thymoma and somatostatin analogs. Biology, diagnostic and clinical
practice]
SO - Minerva Endocrinol 2001 Sep;26(3):193-5
AD - Dipartimento di Endocrinologia e Oncologia Molecolare e Clinica,
Universita degli Studi Federico II, Naples, Italy.
Thymic tumours are rare neoplasms which generally follow a slow pattern
of growth, showing their aggressiveness locally through the infiltration
of adjacent organs and they rarely metastasise hematogenically. In the
presence of locally advanced, metastatic or inoperable disease, combined
strategies including chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery are now
being evaluated. Scintigraphy with 111In DTPA-D-Phe 1 octreotide was
used for the first time in a relevant series of patients with thymic
tumour (13 cases) by our research group. The presence of somatostatin
receptors (ss-R) assayed in vivo provided the rationale for the use of a
treatment based on the octreotide analog in a patient with thymoma and
aplasia of the erythroid series (pure red cell aplasia, PRCA) in whom a
complete response for the tumour and the remission of anemia was
obtained. The efficacy of this treatment was confirmed by our series of
patients with chemoresistant thymic tumour and by national and
international confirmations. These data, ranging from in vivo diagnosis
to treatment and the in vitro study of receptor expression, confirm that
somatostatin plays a major role in thymic tumours.
6
UI - 11887069
AU - Lequaglie C; Giudice G; Brega Massone PP; Conti B; Cataldo I
TI -
Clinical and pathologic predictors of survival in patients with thymic
tumors.
SO - J Cardiovasc Surg (Torino) 2002 Apr;43(2):269-74
AD - Department of Thoracic Surgery, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milano,
Italy. lequaglie@istitutotumori.mi.it
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of
thymectomy in patients with thymic neoplasms and to identify clinical
and histopathological factors associated with improved long-term outcome
cases, all non-myasthenic, had benign thymomas (n=30) but 6 had thymic
carcinomas. Nine tumors were no-resected (5 thymomas and 4 thymic
carcinomas). Minimum follow-up by Department of Thoracic Surgery
Istituto Nazionale Tumori was 60 months after thymectomy. We divided the
specimens according to Marino and Muller-Hermelink's classification: 54
thymomas, 18 thymic carcinomas and 2 no-diagnosis specify thymomas.
There were 53 stage I, 1 stage II, 13 stage III, 5 stage IVa and 2 stage
IVb according to Masaoka. RESULTS: Forty-six patients with treated
thymoma were alive without disease at the end of follow-up, the
remaining 8 died from recurrence in 6, a new tumor in 1 and a heart
attack in the last. Of 18 thymic carcinomas 9 were alive at the end of
follow-up (1 with recurrence), only 4 dead from recurrence. The
actuarial survival of patients with thymomas was 88.5% at 5 years,
(73.6% in cortical type, 85.7% in medullary type, 93.9% in mixed type,
100% in predominantly cortical type). Myasthenia gravis didn't influence
the survival: 87.3 (no MG) vs 90%. Advanced stage thymomas significantly
increased the risk of death from early stage I: 32.4 vs 100% at 5 years.
In thymic carcinoma patients with well-differentiated thymic carcinoma
(WDTC) died less than others: the actuarial probability of survival at 5
years was 90 vs 68%. CONCLUSIONS: Thymectomy was the best treatment to
long term outcome. In our experience, survival was related to histotype
and to local extension of tumor.
7
UI - 11942018
AU - Colaut F; Toniolo L; Sperti C; Pozzobon M; Scapinello A; Sartori CA
TI -
Autoimmune-like pancreatitis in thymoma with myasthenia gravis.
SO - Chir Ital 2002 Jan-Feb;54(1):91-4
AD - Dept. of Thoracic Surgery, City Hospital of Castelfranco Veneto, 31033
Castefranco Veneto, Treviso.
A patient with thymoma and myasthenia gravis admitted for surgery
presented increased serum levels of pancreatic amylase and lipase.
Suspecting a thymoma-related autoimmune disorder, autoantibody serum
titers were determined: increased autoantibody titers to acetylcholine
receptors, thyroglobulin, thyroperoxidase and pancreatic insulin were
detected. After thymectomy the serum levels of pancreatic enzymes
decreased rapidly. Myasthenia gravis symptoms also improved. To the best
of our knowledge no similar cases have been reported in the literature.
8
UI - 11805481
AU - Kim SJ; Kim IJ; Kim YK
TI -
Tc-99m MIBI, Tc-99m tetrofosmin, and Tc-99m (V) DMSA accumulation in
recurrent malignant thymoma.
SO - Clin Nucl Med 2002 Jan;27(1):30-3
AD - Department of Nuclear Medicine, College of Medicine, Pusan National
University, Korea.
Thymoma is the most common primary tumor of the anterior mediastinum,
accounting for 20% to 30% of all mediastinal tumors. The recurrence rate
after total resection of the thymoma ranges from 8% to 18%. The authors
describe a patient with recurrent malignant thymoma imaged with Tc-99m
MIBI, Tc-99m tetrofosmin, and Tc-99m (V) DMSA. Early and delayed Tc-99m
MIBI and Tc-99m tetrofosmin scintigraphy showed increased uptake in the
mediastinal area, as did Tc-99m (V) DMSA scintigraphy. Coronal SPECT
images obtained with Tc-99m MIBI, Tc-99m tetrofosmin, and Tc-99m (V)
DMSA showed increased uptake in the mediastinal lesion seen on a
computed tomograph of the chest. However, the normal blood-pool activity
of the heart and great vessels imaged with Tc-99m (V) DMSA obscured the
recurrent malignant thymoma. Although Tc-99m (V) DMSA is a useful
tumor-seeking agent, Tc-99m MIBI and Tc-99m tetrofosmin SPECT are
preferred to Tc-99m (V) DMSA to detect primary and recurrent malignant
thymoma.
9
UI - 11805485
AU - Squires RS; Smith M; Rohatgi PK
TI -
Uptake of Tc-99m pertechnetate in thymoma.
SO - Clin Nucl Med 2002 Jan;27(1):47-8
AD - Department of Medicine, Washington Hospital Center, DC, USA.
The above citations and abstracts reflect those newly added to CANCERLIT for the month and topic listed in the title. The citations have been retrieved from CANCERLIT using a predefined search strategy of indexed subject terms. Although the search strategy has been refined as best as possible, citations may appear that are not directly related to the topic, and occasionally relevant references may be omitted.
Cancer Types
Bone Cancer
Brain Tumors
Breast Cancer
Carcinoid Tumors
Endocrine System Cancers
Gastrointestinal Cancers
Gynecologic Cancers
Head and Neck Cancers
Leukemia
Lung Cancers
Lymphomas
Myelomas
Pediatric Cancers
Penile Cancer
Prostate Cancer
Sarcomas
Skin Cancers
Testicular Cancer
Thyroid Cancer
Urinary Tract Cancers
OncoLink Vet
Cancer Treatment
Biologic Therapy
Bone Marrow Transplants
Chemotherapy
Clinical Trials
Complementary Medicine
Gene Therapy
General Treatment Concerns
Hormone Therapy
PDT Center
Proton Therapy
Radiation Oncology
Surgical Oncology
Targeted Therapies
Vaccine Therapies
Cancer Support
Caregivers
Hospice Care and Bereavement
Nutrition and Cancer
Sexuality & Fertility
Side Effects
Support
Survivorship
Exercise and Cancer
Cancer Resources
Cancer News
OncoLink University
Nurses' Notes
Conferences
Newly Diagnosed Patients
Causes and Prevention
Legal and Financial Information for Patients
LGBT Resources
NCI Resources
Global Resources
Cancer Resource List
Resources for Young Adults
OncoLink Media Library
OncoLink TV
Book, Music and Video Reviews
Ask the Experts
Brown Bag Chat
Tracy's Corner
About OncoLink
About OncoLink
Giving to OncoLink
Contact Information
Usage Policy
Editorial Board
How to Partner with OncoLink
Link to OncoLink
Mission Statement
