Treatment of thymomas. A report of 67 cases

From 1979 to 1989, 126 patients were treated for thymic tumors. Of these, 67 (53%) had thymomas occurring in 27 men and 40 women; the mean age was 46 years: 24 patients had no symptoms and myasthenia gravis was present in 21 cases. A complete resection was performed in 45 patients, associated in 22 with postoperative adjuvant treatment (radiotherapy, 2; radio- and chemotherapy, 20). Two patients had a partial resection followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Twenty patients had initially only a biopsy and were treated by irradiation in 3 cases, radio- plus chemotherapy in 16, radio- plus chemotherapy and subsequent resection in 1 case. The staging was carried out according to the GETT Classification (stage I A:26; I B:6; II:12; III A:1; III B:18; IVA:4). Thymomas were found to be of predominant epithelial type in 12 cases, predominantly lymphocytic type in 9, and mixed in 46. No recurrence occurred after complete resection. The overall 10-year survival was 71.1%. A good correlation was found according to staging: 96% in stage I; 80% in stage II; 35% in stage III. Presence of myasthenia gravis did not affect the results. The best prognostic factor remains complete resection with postoperative radiotherapy to prevent recurrences. The role of adjuvant chemotherapy needs further evaluation.