Journal of Thoracic Disease Focused Issue: Management of Thymoma

Thymic epithelial tumors (TET) are uncommon tumors of the anterior mediastinum. Despite their rarity, they are actually the most common tumor type located in this mediastinal compartment. TET are comprised of three main types: thymoma (85–90%), thymic carcinoma (8–12%), and neuroendocrine tumors of the thymus (1–4%). Given the rare incidence of TET, it is not surprising that evidence-based practice patterns have not evolved to the extent that has been seen with other, more common malignancies. The published literature consists mainly of case reports and series, a few prospective, observational clinical trials, and no randomized controlled trials. Perhaps the most significant reason for the paucity of high quality published research is any given institution sees only a handful of cases per year, and the lack of the ability to perform coordinated research amongst centers.