Primary thymic tumors — state of the art

Abstract

Thymic malignancies are rare epithelial tumors — they constitute 0.2–1.5 of all neoplasms. Clinical stageand histological type are predictores of outcome. Surgery is the mainstay of the curative-intent treatmentof thymic tumors, in some cases adjuvant chemotherapy or radiotherapy are necessary. Multiagentchemotherapy — based on cisplatin, cycklophosphamid and doxorubicin — is indicated for patientwith recurrent or metastatic disease. Patients with positive somatostatin receptor scintigraphy positivetumors can be also treated with somatostatin analogues. Targeted therapies, such a belinostate, erlotinib,imatinib, are under investigation.