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Preoperative radiotherapy and surgery for advanced thymoma with invasion to the great vessels
Author(s) -
Akaogi Eiichi,
Ohara Kiyoshi,
Mitsui Kiyofumi,
Onizuka Masataka,
Ishikawa Shigemi,
Mitsui Toshio,
Ogata Takesaburo
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
journal of surgical oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.201
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1096-9098
pISSN - 0022-4790
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1096-9098(199609)63:1<17::aid-jso4>3.0.co;2-t
Subject(s) - medicine , thymoma , radiation therapy , surgery , general surgery
From 1983 to 1994, 12 advanced thymomas with invastion to the great vessels were initially treated by irradiation (mean dose, 18.3 Gy) and subsequent surgical resection. In nine patients, complete resection was possible by concomitant resection of the surrounding tissues, mainly pericardium and/or brachiocephalic vein. Histologically, all tumors showed prominent fibrosis. Ten patients also received postoperative radiotherapy (mean dose, 42.3 Gy). Tumor‐related deaths occurred in only two patients; one who did not receive postoperative irradiation 21 months and one who had viable cells at the surgical margin 10 months after operation. However, there were also 2 patients who died of respiratory failure due to operation and/or irradiation, one 45 days and the other 7 years after the treatment. Preoperative radiotherapy could facilitate complete resection of the advanced thymomas. The prognosis of the patients treated with preoperative radiotherapy seemed fair if followed by adequate resection and subsequent irradiation. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.