Chemotherapy for invasive thymoma. A 13-year experience

Cancer. 1991 Jul 1;68(1):30-3. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(19910701)68:1<30::aid-cncr2820680106>3.0.co;2-4.

Abstract

From 1977 to 1990, 37 patients with Stage III or IV invasive thymoma (20 men and 17 women; median age, 40 years of age) were referred for chemotherapy to the Padova Medical Oncology Department. All patients initially received the same regimen (50 mg/m2 of cisplatin and 40 mg/m2 of doxorubicin intravenously (IV) on day 1, 0.6 mg/m2 of vincristine IV on day 3, and 700 mg/m2 of cyclophosphamide IV on day 4 [ADOC]), recycling at monthly intervals. No life-threatening side effects were noted. The overall clinical response rate (complete response plus partial response) was 91.8%, with 43% complete remissions. Median duration of response and survival were 12 months (range, 2 to 96+ months) and 15 months (range, 5 to 96+ months), respectively. Seven of the 16 complete remissions were pathologically confirmed at subsequent thoracotomy. Other chemotherapy combinations and radiation therapy have been applied as second-line treatment, achieving only minimal responses. In the opinion of the authors, such chemotherapy deserves evaluation for adjuvant and neo-adjuvant treatment of invasive (and/or inoperable) thymoma due to the high complete response rate and overall response rate.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / adverse effects
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use*
  • Cisplatin / administration & dosage
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Cyclophosphamide
  • Doxorubicin
  • Etoposide / administration & dosage
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Ifosfamide / administration & dosage
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mitoxantrone / administration & dosage
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / drug therapy
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Remission Induction
  • Survival Rate
  • Thymoma / drug therapy*
  • Thymoma / mortality
  • Thymoma / pathology
  • Thymus Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Thymus Neoplasms / mortality
  • Thymus Neoplasms / pathology
  • Vincristine

Substances

  • Vincristine
  • Etoposide
  • Doxorubicin
  • Cyclophosphamide
  • Mitoxantrone
  • Cisplatin
  • Ifosfamide

Supplementary concepts

  • ADOC protocol
  • ICE protocol 1