The role of somatostatin analogues in the treatment of advanced malignant thymomas: case report and review of the literature

Thymomas are the most common tumours of the anterior mediastinum; their clinical course is often complicated by accompanying autoimmune and paraneoplastic syndromes. Advanced malignant thymoma is particularly challenging to manage owing to the lack of evidence from randomised trials to guide treatme...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:British journal of radiology 2011-01, Vol.84 (997), p.e7-e10
Main Authors: Pettit, L, El-Modir, A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal - therapeutic use
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - administration & dosage
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - therapeutic use
Case Report
Cisplatin - administration & dosage
Etoposide - administration & dosage
Humans
Ifosfamide - administration & dosage
Male
Octreotide - therapeutic use
Radiography
Thymoma - diagnostic imaging
Thymoma - drug therapy
Thymoma - secondary
Thymus Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging
Thymus Neoplasms - drug therapy
Treatment Outcome
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Summary:Thymomas are the most common tumours of the anterior mediastinum; their clinical course is often complicated by accompanying autoimmune and paraneoplastic syndromes. Advanced malignant thymoma is particularly challenging to manage owing to the lack of evidence from randomised trials to guide treatment. Combination first-line chemotherapy has been trialled in several small studies and has been reported to produce a 50-80% response with platinum-containing regimes. Progression following first-line chemotherapy is difficult to manage as most of these patients maintain a good performance status and demand further active palliative treatment. There is no standard second-line treatment. We report a good clinical and radiological response to third-line palliative octreotide therapy in a patient who had a positive octreotide scan.
ISSN:0007-1285
1748-880X
DOI:10.1259/bjr/16436465