Radiation therapy in the management of malignant thymic tumors

A review of 20 patients with malignant thymic tumors is presented. A simplified classification is used avoiding the term thymoma, which is considered misleading. Most of the patients were treated by a combination of surgery and radiation therapy while 7 were treated by irradiation alone. Postoperative radiation therapy is indicated when the tumor is incompletely removed. This is also advised in invasive tumors even when they are considered completely resected. Irradiation alone of inoperable tumors should be carried out with high doses (55 to 60 Gy) to decrease the risk of local recurrence.