Initial chemotherapy followed by surgery in malignant thymoma

Initial combination chemotherapy with cisplatinum, adriamycin and cyclophosphamide was given prior to surgery in a young woman with an unresectable malignant thymoma. Complete remission was achieved following three cycles of chemotherapy. Subsequent thymectomy revealed no evidence of residual malignancy. Prolonged remissions following cisplatin-based chemotherapy have recently been achieved in metastatic thymoma. Initial chemotherapy should now be considered prior to surgery or radiotherapy in those patients presenting with very bulky or unresectable disease.