Does Myasthenia Gravis Affect Long-Term Survival in Thymic Carcinomas? An ESTS Database Analysis

oleh: Filippo Lococo, Dania Nachira, Marco Chiappetta, Jessica Evangelista, Pierre Emmanuel Falcoz, Enrico Ruffini, Paul Van Schil, Marco Scarci, Jòzsef Furàk, Francesco Sollitto, Francesco Guerrera, Lorenzo Spaggiari, Clemens Aigner, Liverakou Evangelia, Andrea Billè, Bernhard Moser, Pascal Alexandre Thomas, Moishe Liberman, Souheil Boubia, Alessio Campisi, Luca Ampollini, Alper Toker, Attila Enyed, Luca Voltolini, Dirk Van Raemdonck, Stefano Margaritora, ESTS Thymic Working Group

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2022-07-01

Deskripsi

Background: Thymic carcinoma is a rare and highly malignant tumor with a dismal prognosis, which occasionally coexists with myasthenia gravis (MG). This study aims to investigate the MG incidence on a surgical cohort of patients with thymic carcinoma and to explore its influence on long-term survival. Methods: the prospectively collected data from the ESTS database on thymic epithelial tumors were reviewed. Clinical, pathological, and survival information on thymic carcinoma were analyzed. Results: the analysis was conducted on 203 patients, with an equal gender distribution (96 males and 107 females). MG was detected in 22 (10.8%) patients, more frequently elderly (>60 years, <i>p</i> = 0.048) and male (<i>p</i> = 0.003). Induction therapy was performed in 22 (10.8%) cases. After surgery, 120 (59.1%) patients had a Masaoka stage II–III while complete resection (R0) was achieved in 158 (77.8%). Adjuvant therapy was performed in 68 cases. Mean follow-up was 60 (SD = 14) months. The 3-year, 5-year and 10-year survival rates were 79%, 75% and 63%, respectively. MG did not seem to influence long-term survival (5-year survival in non-MG–TCs 78% vs. 50% in MG–TCs, <i>p</i> = ns) as age < 60 years, female gender, early Masaoka stage, and postoperative radiotherapy did, conversely. Conclusions: myasthenia occurred in about 10% of thymic carcinomas and it did not seem to affect significantly the long-term prognosis in surgically treated thymic carcinoma-patients.