PREOPERATIVE INTRAARTERIAL INFUSION CHEMOTHERAPY FOR INVASIVE THYMOMA- A CASE-REPORT

A 24-year-old man was diagnosed as having mixed-type thymoma by preope rative percutaneous needle biopsy. A chest computed tomogram showed a tumor measuring 12x9 cm. Selective intra-arterial infusion chemotherap y was first selected because invasion to the superior vena cava was su spected. Bolus injection of 50 mg/m(2) cisplatin and 20 mg/m(2) adriam ycin was performed once into the right internal thoracic artery. The r esulting decrease in tumor size was 81%. Neither complications due to the infusion procedure nor side effects due to the anticancer drugs we re encountered An extended thymectomy with partial resection of the me diastinal pleura was safely performed. The histological diagnosis of t he resected tumor was thymic hyperplasia. The patient was transferred to a radiologist for additional radiotherapy. Selective intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy for invasive thymoma is an effective therapy, p roducing no significant side effects and allowing safe resection.