Xin-Lun Tian1, Yuan-Jue Zhu. 1. Department of Respiratory Disease, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical features and prognostic factors of thymoma. METHODS: 135 patients with a diagnosis of thymoma or thymic carcinoma were identified in Peking Union Medical University Hospital from Jan, 1990 to Feb, 2003. Their clinical presentation and prognostic factors were analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 135 patients, 21 (15.6%) were asymptomatic and 66 (48.9%) presented symptoms consistent with myasthenia gravis. Venous obstruction, male gender and longer disease course appeared to be the predisposing factors of malignancy (chi(2) = 8.373, P = 0.004; chi(2) = 6.125, P = 0.013; U = 1691.5, P = 0.013 respectively). Calcification and necrosis on radiological findings did not differentiate thymoma from thymic carcinoma. Tumor recurrence was related to the Masaoka stage and the course of disease by logistic method [Exp(b) = 1.050, 6.728, P = 0.038, 0.003]. The recurrence rate was 2.7% in stage I, 11.1% in stage II, 30.4% in stage III, and 83.3% in stage IV. CONCLUSIONS: Thymoma has a variable clinical manifestation. Clinical outcome is correlated with Masaoka stage and early tumor resection. Radiographic findings are not reliable in the differentiation of benign tumor from malignancy.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical features and prognostic factors of thymoma. METHODS: 135 patients with a diagnosis of thymoma or thymic carcinoma were identified in Peking Union Medical University Hospital from Jan, 1990 to Feb, 2003. Their clinical presentation and prognostic factors were analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 135 patients, 21 (15.6%) were asymptomatic and 66 (48.9%) presented symptoms consistent with myasthenia gravis. Venous obstruction, male gender and longer disease course appeared to be the predisposing factors of malignancy (chi(2) = 8.373, P = 0.004; chi(2) = 6.125, P = 0.013; U = 1691.5, P = 0.013 respectively). Calcification and necrosis on radiological findings did not differentiate thymoma from thymic carcinoma. Tumor recurrence was related to the Masaoka stage and the course of disease by logistic method [Exp(b) = 1.050, 6.728, P = 0.038, 0.003]. The recurrence rate was 2.7% in stage I, 11.1% in stage II, 30.4% in stage III, and 83.3% in stage IV. CONCLUSIONS:Thymoma has a variable clinical manifestation. Clinical outcome is correlated with Masaoka stage and early tumor resection. Radiographic findings are not reliable in the differentiation of benign tumor from malignancy.