Perspectives on surgical treatment for thymic epithelial tumors: a narrative review
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER:
PROVIDER: S-EPMC10915418 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Feb
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Similar Datasets
Project description: Not available
| S-EPMC11330913 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The emergence of immunotherapy as a modern pillar of cancer treatment has changed the treatment landscape for various cancers. Immune checkpoint inhibitors directed at programed death-1 (PD-1) or its ligand (PD-L1), in particular, have found widespread clinical applications and have resulted in durable responses and an improvement in survival of patients with advanced or metastatic disease. Tumor cell PD-L1 expression and tumor mutation burden (TMB) are biomarkers of response and efforts are underway to identify other biomarkers that might predict benefit with these drugs. Most patients tolerate immunotherapy well, although a subset of patients develop immune-mediated toxicity due to excessive immune stimulation. Thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) have a unique biology which can predispose to development of autoimmune paraneoplastic disease, especially in patients with thymoma. Due to defects in immunological self-tolerance, the use of immunotherapy in TET patients is associated with an increased risk of immune-mediated adverse events, which can be potentially life-threatening. Development of biomarkers of response and toxicity is particularly important for the treatment of TETs since it is important to identify patients who might benefit from treatment and be at low risk for development of severe immune toxicity. The use of immunotherapy in patients with autoimmune disorders and those who have previously experienced immune-mediated toxicity is currently an area of active research. Various risk mitigation strategies are under evaluation in prospective clinical trials, including trials of immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with thymic cancers.
| S-EPMC8445513 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Background and objectiveThymic epithelial tumors (TETs) are frequently diagnosed at an advanced stage, highlighting the importance of understanding the treatment strategies for these cases. Surgical intervention after chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy presents specific challenges and underscores the crucial role of perioperative management. This study aimed to explore the perioperative management and postoperative outcomes in patients with locally advanced TETs.MethodsRelevant studies published between 2000 and 2022 were identified through PubMed searches using a combination of the following terms: "Locally advanced TETs", "Thymoma", "Thymic cancer", "Surgery", "Induction therapy", and "Postoperative outcomes". We analyzed available data to describe the perioperative management and postoperative outcomes of locally advanced TETs.Key content and findingsSurgical outcomes after induction therapy for locally advanced TETs were analyzed for 18 references (total n=646) between 2000 and 2022. The primary objective of induction therapy for locally advanced TETs is complete tumor resection. In recent years, many medical centers have adopted systemic chemotherapy and chemoradiation for the treatment of thymoma and thymic carcinoma, respectively. During surgical intervention, resecting the surrounding organs, such as the lungs, pericardium, and phrenic nerves, is a common practice. Additionally, there may be cases wherein vascular resection of the superior vena cava (SVC) and innominate veins is necessary. Techniques and strategies for revascularization without complications are crucial in these situations. The incidence of postoperative complications varied significantly, ranging from 4.8% to 42%. However, perioperative mortality is typically reported to be approximately 0%, with only two reports showing mortality rates of 1.8% and 9.0%.ConclusionsThe short-term postoperative outcomes of surgical treatment following induction therapy for locally advanced TETs were generally deemed acceptable. However, incomplete resection may occur, particularly when the tumor invades the pulmonary artery or aorta. Hence, careful evaluation the indications for surgery is crucial, considering the patient's overall condition and treatment response.
| S-EPMC10839523 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Thymic epithelial tumors (TETs), including thymoma, thymic carcinoma and neuroendocrine tumors, are uncommon tumors that originate from the epithelial cells of the thymus. Nevertheless, despite their rarity, they represent the most common tumor type located in the anterior mediastinum. Therapeutic choices based on staging and histology may include surgery with or without neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy represented by chemotherapy, radiotherapy or chemo-radiotherapy. For patients with advanced or metastatic TETs, platinum-based chemotherapy remains the standard first-line treatment; however, some new drugs and combinations are currently under evaluation. In any case, proper management of patients with TETs requires a multidisciplinary team approach to personalize care for each patient.
| S-EPMC10222654 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Immunotherapy has emerged to play a rapidly expanding role in the treatment of cancers. Currently, many clinical trials of therapeutic agents are on ongoing with majority of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) especially programmed death receptor 1 (PD-1) and its ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors. PD-1 and PD-L1, two main immune checkpoints, are expressed at high levels in thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) and could be predictors of the progression and immunotherapeutic efficacy of TETs. However, despite inspiring efficacy reported in clinical trials and clinical practice, significantly higher incidence of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) than other tumors bring challenges to the administration of ICIs in TETs. To develop safe and effective immunotherapeutic patterns in TETs, understanding the clinical properties of patients, the cellular and molecular mechanisms of immunotherapy and irAEs occurrence are crucial. In this review, the progress of both basic and clinical research on immune checkpoints in TETs, the evidence of therapeutic efficacy and irAEs based on PD-1 /PD-L1 inhibitors in TETs treatment are discussed. Additionally, we highlighted the possible mechanisms underlying irAEs, prevention and management strategies, the insufficiency of current research and some worthy research insights. High PD-1/PD-L1 expression in TETs provides a rationale for ICI use. Completed clinical trials have shown an encouraging efficacy of ICIs, despite the high rate of irAEs. A deeper mechanism understanding at molecular level how ICIs function in TETs and why irAEs occur will help maximize the immunotherapeutic efficacy while minimizing irAEs risks in TET treatment to improve patient prognosis.
| S-EPMC10099901 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThymic epithelial tumors (TETs) are rare, and information regarding their surgical outcomes and prognostic factors has rapidly changed in the past few decades. We analyzed surgical treatment practices for TETs and outcomes in terms of overall survival (OS) and freedom from recurrence (FFR) during a 13-year period in Korea.MethodsIn total, 1,298 patients with surgically resected TETs between 2000 and 2013 were enrolled retrospectively. OS and FFR were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and evaluated with the log-rank test. Prognostic factors for OS and FFR were analyzed with multivariable Cox regression.ResultsA total of 1,098 patients were diagnosed with thymoma, and 200 patients were diagnosed with thymic carcinoma. Over the study period, the total number of patients with surgically treated TETs and the proportion of patients who underwent minimally invasive thymic surgery (MITS) increased annually. The 5-year and 10-year survival rates of surgically treated TETs were 91.0% and 82.1%, respectively. The 5-year and 10-year recurrence rates were 86.3% and 80.0%, respectively. The outcomes of surgically treated TETs improved over time. Multivariable Cox hazards analysis for OS, age, tumor size, and Masaoka-Koga stage were independent predictors of prognosis. The World Health Organization classification and tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging were also related to the prognosis of TETs.ConclusionSurgical treatment of TETs achieved a good prognosis with a recent increase in MITS. The M-K stage was the most important prognostic factor for OS and FFR. The new TNM stage could also be an effective predictor of the outcomes of TETs.
| S-EPMC9005939 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Thymic epithelial tumors (TETs), including thymomas and thymic carcinomas, are rare malignancies arising from the thymus gland. The optimal management requires a multidisciplinary approach. Standard first-line systemic treatment involves cytotoxic chemotherapeutic regimens; however, alternative options for systemic treatment are required. Current research focuses on the unique profile of immune-related pathogenic mechanisms of TETs, involving an overlap with certain autoimmune phenotypes, as well as on determining the landscape of oncogenic molecular alterations and the role of tumor angiogenesis. The aim of the present review is to summarize the current clinical investigation on immunotherapy and targeted agents in the management of TETs. Regarding immune checkpoint inhibitors, efficacy results are promising in certain subsets of patients; however, caution is required concerning their toxicity. Anti-angiogenic agents, mainly potent small-molecule inhibitors, have demonstrated antitumor activity in TETs, whereas other targeted agents, including KIT inhibitors and epigenetic agents, are associated with encouraging, yet still modest results for unselected populations, in the absence of predictive biomarkers. Future research should focus on identifying predictive biomarkers for patients with TETs, and should implement multicenter collaborations and appropriate clinical trials tailored for rare tumor types.
| S-EPMC9877504 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Background and objectiveThe posterior mediastinum is a potential space along the paravertebral sulci or between the posterior aspect of the pericardium and the vertebrae. This compartment is classically the most frequent location site of neurogenic tumors. Whereas neurofibroma and schwannoma are neurogenic tumors that commonly arise from peripheral nerves, sympathetic nerves are the origin of ganglioneuroma, neuroblastoma, ganglioneuroblastoma, and neuroectodermal cells closely associated with autonomic nerves are the origin of paragangliomas and pheochromocytomas. Additionally, tumors from the esophagus, tumors of mesenchymal origin, lymphoma, ectopic goiter, and diseases with lymph node hyperplasia may also settle on this compartment. The objectives are to identify term "giant posterior mediastinal tumor" and the etiology, clinical features, diagnostic methods, pathological types, surgical methods applied, and technical details of these methods for the treatment of these tumors.MethodsIn this review, the term "giant tumor" was used to define tumors larger than 10 cm settled in the posterior mediastinum. PubMed database was searched with keywords "posterior mediastinum, giant mass" or "posterior mediastinum, tumor, giant" limited to English language and full-text available studies published between years 1984-2021.Key content and findingsAs a result of the literature review with the relevant terms, 23 case reports were found in accordance with the inclusion criteria. We detected the most common giant posterior mediastinum tumors were neurogenic origin (schwannoma, ganglioneuroma, ganglioneuroblastoma, triton tumor) in that review. The most common surgical approach was posterolateral thoracotomy. Treatment response to surgical total excision was good in most of cases.ConclusionsThe definitive diagnosis and treatment of giant posterior mediastinal tumors is made by surgical excision. Diagnostic procedures and subsequent surgical planning may vary depending on the origin and localization. Adjuvant treatment and follow-up should be conducted on the histopathological features.
| S-EPMC9792830 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Background and objectiveThymic epithelial tumors (TETs), including thymomas and thymic cancers, are relatively rare malignancies originating from the thymus. Although complete surgical resection is the cornerstone of treatment for these tumors, the optimal management strategy for locally advanced cases remains uncertain. Neoadjuvant therapies, with their potential to improve the likelihood of complete resection, are promising, particularly in marginally operable cases. However, the current evidence supporting this approach is lacking. This review of the existing literature on the efficacy of induction therapy followed by surgical resection for stage III or IV locally advanced TETs aimed to provide an up-to-date perspective and highlighting directions for future clinical research.MethodsPubMed was searched using the keywords "surgery," "survival", "thymoma", "thymic cancer", and "induction therapy". Relevant articles including case series, retrospective studies, prospective studies, and review articles were reviewed and selected for this comprehensive narrative review.Key content and findingsThis review included primarily revealed retrospective studies and a limited number of prospective phase II trials on induction therapy followed by surgery for stage III or IV locally advanced TETs. No randomized phase III studies were identified, indicating that a comprehensive evaluation of the benefits of induction therapy on overall survival (OS) has not yet been conducted. Induction therapies for both invasive thymoma and thymic cancer included chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and chemoradiotherapy, with anthracycline-based combination chemotherapies being the primary option. For exclusively invasive thymomas, the median rate of complete surgical resection and the 5-year OS rate were reported as 76% and 85%, respectively. Literature focusing on induction therapy for TETs, which includes both thymoma and thymic cancers, indicates that the rates of complete resection and 5-year OS are 76% and 70%, respectively.ConclusionsOur narrative review of retrospective and prospective studies highlighted promising long-term OS rates in patients with advanced TETs who underwent induction therapy followed by surgical resection. These findings support this multimodal treatment strategy in selected patients with stage III and IV TETs.
| S-EPMC11330909 | biostudies-literature
Project description:This review article comprehensively examines the diagnostic approach to thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) and other mediastinal masses, focusing on imaging modalities and differential diagnosis. Beginning with a discussion on traditional and contemporary classification systems for mediastinal tumors, including the Japanese Association for Research on the Thymus (JART) and International Thymic Interest Group (ITMIG) classifications, it highlights the shift towards computed tomography (CT)-based categorizations. Emphasis is placed on the importance of distinguishing between solid and cystic lesions in the anterior mediastinum, with detailed insights into imaging characteristics and histological features of various TET subtypes such as thymomas, thymic carcinomas, and thymic neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). The review also elucidates common differential diagnoses, including lymphomas and germ cell tumors, providing guidance on key imaging findings and considerations for accurate diagnosis. Furthermore, it underscores the significance of patient background and blood tests in differential diagnosis, discussing age-related prevalence patterns and tumor marker assessment. After addressing the diagnostic challenges posed by thymic cysts offering insights into their radiological features, management considerations, and potential complications, this review extends to other rare mediastinal lesions highlighting the need for a comprehensive evaluation for accurate identification and management of these tumors. Finally, as illustrative examples, we present six cases highlighting various aspects of anterior mediastinal tumors, including TET. These cases provide valuable insights into the diagnostic challenges, imaging characteristics, and management considerations encountered in clinical practice. The cases presented herein do not all illustrate typical images, courses, and diagnoses. However, they each contain significant implications. Thus, we present them with the belief that they will aid in understanding the intricate nuances of image diagnosis in actual clinical practice.
| S-EPMC11330907 | biostudies-literature