Tumors of thymus gland: clinical features, diagnosis, treatment

Abstract

Main aspects of histogenesis, morphology and classification of tumors of the thymus, the current state of their diagnosis and treatment are submitted. Clinical manifestations of thymomas are dependent on their endocrine activity, pace and nature of growth, size and relationship with surrounding structures of mediastinum. Hormonal tumors of thymus are often accompanied by the development of generalized myasthenia gravis. Spiral computed and magnetic resonance tomography are recognized as the leading methods of diagnostics and differential diagnostics of the tumors of thymus gland. However, frequency of diagnostic errors can reach 10-30% of observations. The main method of treatment is surgical, as providing radical and the best long-term results. An adequate volume of surgical treatment of tumors of the thymus gland is thymomthymectomy- enblock removal of a tumor and the entire gland tissue along with fatty tissue and lymph nodes of anterior mediastinum. Various «open» and endovideosurgical approaches to thymus removal have been proposed. Minimally invasive endovideoscopic removal of thymus has a number of advantages over traditional, «open» thymectomy and is characterized by a much smaller intraoperative blood loss and duration of drainage of the pleural cavities, early activization of a patient and a shorter hospital stay. The implementation of endovideosurgical intervention is prescribed with the removal of thymoma I-II stage of cancer progression, as well as in some cases of combined operational benefits at stage III. However, international experience is not sufficient for making decisions regarding the selection of an optimal surgical approach in each case. In invasive tumors of thymus, combined treatment with the inclusion of radiation and chemotherapy is recommended. However, the choice of components of a treatment, modes and sequence remain controversial.