Successful treatment of metastatic thymic carcinoma with cisplatin, vinblastine, bleomycin, and etoposide chemotherapy

Cancer. 1990 Nov 15;66(10):2092-4. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(19901115)66:10<2092::aid-cncr2820661008>3.0.co;2-1.

Abstract

Thymic carcinomas are rare malignant neoplasms of the thymic epithelium that are distinguished from the malignant thymomas by the presence of cytologic atypia. Thymic carcinomas may metastasize outside of the thorax and are associated with a very poor prognosis. Complete responses of thymic carcinoma to chemotherapy alone have not been reported. A 21-year-old man with metastatic undifferentiated carcinoma of probable thymic origin is presented who achieved a pathologic complete response with cisplatin, vinblastine, and bleomycin chemotherapy. Additional consolidative chemotherapy with cisplatin and etoposide was administered. The patient remains disease-free 5 years after diagnosis. Cisplatin, vinblastine, and bleomycin chemotherapy appears to have significant activity against thymic carcinoma.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use*
  • Bleomycin / administration & dosage
  • Carcinoma / drug therapy*
  • Carcinoma / pathology
  • Cisplatin / administration & dosage
  • Etoposide / administration & dosage
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Remission Induction
  • Thymus Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Thymus Neoplasms / pathology
  • Vinblastine / administration & dosage

Substances

  • Bleomycin
  • Vinblastine
  • Etoposide
  • Cisplatin