The objective of this study was to establish prognostic factors for thymoma and determine the impact of surgery with or without postoperative radiotherapy. Seventy patients treated at the University Hospital Dusseldorf during the period 1954-1991 were retrospectively studied. According to thymoma staging as described previously by Masaoka et al. Survival rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and the log rank test. Multivariate analysis revealed that stage, histology, and KPS were predictive of overall survival.
Postoperative radiotherapy can improve local control in patients with advanced thymoma.
Survival after incomplete resection is not compromised when postoperative radiotherapy is employed. KPS should be considered an important prognostic factor in future studies. Although the search strategy has been refined as best as possible, citations may appear that are not directly related to the topic, and occasionally relevant references may be omitted. The information provided through OncoLink should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or a disease. It is not a substitute for professional care.