Salvage chemotherapy with carboplatin and paclitaxel for cisplatin-resistant thymic carcinoma--three cases.

The optimal chemotherapeutic regimen for thymic carcinoma remains uncertain and the utility of salvage therapy has also not been reported. Three cases of unresectable and locally advanced thymic carcinoma, resistant to prior chemotherapy with cisplatin are reported. These patients were treated with carboplatin and paclitaxel chemotherapy, as salvage chemotherapy. Although concomitant thoracic radiotherapy was performed in one patient, two showed a partial response and the other showed a minor response after carboplatin and paclitaxel chemotherapy. Thymic carcinoma is sensitive to platinum-based chemotherapy and paclitaxel appears to have significant activity against thymic carcinoma.