Current approaches to the treatment of thymoma

Thymoma is an unusual tumour, but it is the most common malignancy in the a nterior mediastinum. This tumour is unique in its frequent association with paraneoplastic syndrome and its potential for indolent growth. The distinc tion between thymomas and other tumours which arise in the anterior or supe rior mediastinum is important, and the optimal therapy for these malignanci es is quite different. Indeed, even in advanced disease, systemic therapy m ay not only prolong the disease-free survival, but may also be curative in various malignancies. The therapy for patients with thymoma has been evolvi ng over the past few years.