Open AccessThymic epithelial tumors: Do we know all the prognostic factors?
Author(s) -
KnetkiWróblewska Magdalena,
Kowalski Dariusz M.,
OlszynaSerementa Marta,
Krzakowski Maciej,
Szołkowska Małgorzata
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
thoracic cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.823
H-Index - 28
eISSN - 1759-7714
pISSN - 1759-7706
DOI - 10.1111/1759-7714.13750
Subject(s) - medicine , gastroenterology , stage (stratigraphy) , univariate analysis , multivariate analysis , concomitant , lymph node , risk factor , thymic carcinoma , anemia , oncology , pathology , chemotherapy , paleontology , biology
Background Thymic epithelial tumors constitute a morphologically and clinically diverse group of rare neoplasm of the anterior mediastinum. Methods Here, we present an analysis of 188 patients diagnosed with primary thymic tumors between 1995 and 2015. The prognostic value of selected clinical and morphological factors was assessed in relation to overall survival and recurrence‐free survival. Results The risk of recurrence increased significantly in thymic carcinoma diagnosis ( P = 0.0036), co‐occurrence of other diseases, and weight loss ( P = 0.0012 and 0.0348, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that the most important independent risk factor for disease recurrence was clinical stage IV ( P = 0.0036). A total of 63 patients (33.5%) died. In the univariate analysis, the following factors were considered as independent prognostic factors for overall survival: clinical stage ( P < 0.0001), histological type ( P < 0.0001), lymph node involvement ( P < 0.001), WHO performance status 2 ( P < 0.0001), anemia (Hb <9.5 g/dL; P = 0.0002), leucocytosis (>12.5 G/L; P = 0.0011), LDH level (>185 U/L; P < 0.0001), concomitant diseases ( P = 0.0012) and weight loss ( P < 0.0001).The strongest independent risk factor for death was stage IV disease ( P < 0.001). Conclusions The results confirmed a fairly good prognosis for patients with thymic epithelial tumors. Clinical stage was the most important prognostic factor, but, some additional clinical factors may also have prognostic value.