[Thymic carcinoma; analysis of nine clinical studies]

Nine cases of thymic carcinoma (mean age 53.9 years old, 8 males and 1 female) were treated in our hospital from 1973 to 1998. The histological subtypes of thymic carcinoma were squamous cell in six, adenosquamous cell in one, Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma in one, mixed type of small cell and squamous cell in one. We applied Yamakawa clinical staging, 9 cases consisted of 2 stage II cases, 2 stage III cases, and 5 stage IV b cases. Adjuvant radiotheraphy was administered in one case, registering remarkable reduction of tumor size. All of the four cases which had been performed complete resection are alive without recurrence for 17 to 136 months after operation. The mean survival time was 47 months in stage III, and 18 months in stage IV b. By the review of the Japanese literature, most of the patient who revealed long-term survival fulfill the conditions as follow, squamous cell carcinoma in histologically, earlier stage than III at his operation, performed complete resection, performed postoperative radiotherapy. Our cases covering all these condition are alive without carcinoma for 136 months after operation.