Role of modern neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced thymic epithelial neoplasms

To improve resectability in patients with stage III-IVA thymic epithelial neoplasms, neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy are considered. This retrospective study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant therapies using modern techniques in thymic epithelial neoplasms.

We included 32 patients with Masaoka stage III-IV disease treated at our institution from January 2010 to December 2017. Data regarding clinicopathologic characteristics, treatment protocols, toxicities, and survival were collected. Response was evaluated according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours 1.1. Survival was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Adverse events were graded according to the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.0.

Neoadjuvant radiotherapy alone, chemotherapy alone, sequence chemoradiotherapy, and concurrent chemoradiotherapy were administered to 10 (31.3%), 9 (28.1%), 3 (9.4%), and 10 (31.3%) patients, respectively. Twenty-nine patients (90.6%) underwent R0 resection. The median follow-up time was 38.0 months (3.3-109.5 months). After neoadjuvant therapy, 18 patients (56.3%) achieved partial response and 14 (43.8%) had stable disease. Pathologic complete response was achieved in 6 patients (18.8%), all of whom had thymic carcinoma. The 5-year overall and progression-free survival rates were 90.9% and 67.5%, respectively. For patients with thymic carcinoma, the 5-year overall and progression-free survival rates were 80.0% and 66.2%, respectively. Grade 3 toxicities were observed in only 1 patient (leukopenia).

For patients with primary unresectable thymic neoplasms, neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy is an efficient and safe choice, with favorable response and survival and moderate toxicities. Patients with thymic carcinoma might benefit more from neoadjuvant therapies.