| Clinical Features of Thymic Epithelial Tumors. |
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Jeong Ha Mok, Hee Yun Seol, Ji Eun Kim, Ki Uk Kim, Hye Kyung Park, Ho Seok Lee, Young Dae Kim, Yun Seong Kim, Chang Hun Lee, Min Ki Lee, Soon Kew Park |
1Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea. leemk@pusan.ac.kr
2Department of Thoracic Surgery, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
3Department of Pathology, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea. |
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| Abstract |
BACKGROUND
Thymic epithelial tumors are the most common tumors affecting the anterior mediastinum. The aim of this study is to investigate clinical features of the patients who were diagnosed with thymic epithelial tumors at Pusan National University Hospital. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of thirty-seven patients who were diagnosed with thymic epithelial tumors from Jan. 1997 to Jan. 2007. The pathological classification and clinical stage of the thymic epithelial tumors were based on the WHO classification and Masaoka's staging system. A total 37 patients were enrolled: 23 were males and 14 were females, and their mean age was 51.3 years. RESULTS: Thirty patients presented symptoms at the time of diagnosis and their symptoms were as follows: chest pain (53%), dyspnea (23%), and cough (17%). Myasthenia gravis was diagnosed in five patients. With respect to the tumor staging, three cases (8%) were stage I, 10 cases (28%) were stage II, 12 cases (32%) were stage III, 6 cases (16%) were stage IVA and 6 cases (16%) were stage IVB. Twenty-four cases (67%) displayed stage III or IV disease. The pathological types according to the WHO classification were as follows: B1 (32%), C (23%), B3 (20%), B2 (16%), AB (6%) and A (3%). Twenty-four patients underwent thymothymectomy and four of these patients relapsed. Stage III or type B3 was common in the relapsed patients. Five patientsexpired. Stage IV or type B3 and C were common in the expired patients. CONCLUSION: In this study, stage III or IV disease and type B3 or C were common at the time of diagnosis and these findings might contribute to postoperative recurrence and a poor outcome. |
| Key Words:
Thymic epithelial tumor, Thymoma, Thymic carcinoma, Clinical features |
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