Preoperative intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy for invasive thymoma: a case report

A 24-year-old man was diagnosed as having mixed-type thymoma by preoperative percutaneous needle biopsy. A chest computed tomogram showed a tumor measuring 12x9 cm. Selective intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy was first selected because invasion to the superior vena cava was suspected. Bolus injection of 50 mg/m2 cisplatin and 20 mg/m2 adriamycin was performed once into the right internal thoracic artery. The resulting decrease in tumor size was 81%. Neither complications due to the infusion procedure nor side effects due to the anticancer drugs were encountered. An extended thymectomy with partial resection of the mediastinal pleura was safely performed. The histological diagnosis of the resected tumor was thymic hyperplasia. The patient was transferred to a radiologist for additional radiotherapy. Selective intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy for invasive thymoma is an effective therapy, producing no significant side effects and allowing safe resection.