Future Perspective of Chemotherapy and Pharmacotherapy in Thymic Carcinoma
Thymic carcinoma is a rare cancer that arises from thymic epithelial cells. Its nature and pathology differ from that of benign thymoma, presenting a poorer prognosis. If surgically resectable, surgery alone or surgery followed by chemoradiotherapy or radiotherapy is recommended by the National Comp...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Cancers |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/13/20/5239 |
| _version_ | 1797515091737837568 |
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| author | Rui Kitadai Yusuke Okuma |
| author_facet | Rui Kitadai Yusuke Okuma |
| author_sort | Rui Kitadai |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Thymic carcinoma is a rare cancer that arises from thymic epithelial cells. Its nature and pathology differ from that of benign thymoma, presenting a poorer prognosis. If surgically resectable, surgery alone or surgery followed by chemoradiotherapy or radiotherapy is recommended by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Guidelines. Metastatic and refractory thymic carcinomas require systemic pharmacotherapy. Combined carboplatin and paclitaxel, and cisplatin and anthracycline-based regimens have been shown a fair response rate and survival to provide a de facto standard of care when compared with other drugs employed as first-line chemotherapy. Cytotoxic agents have been pivotal for treating thymic carcinoma, as little is known regarding its tumorigenesis. In addition, genetic alterations, including driver mutations, which play an important role in treatments, have not yet been discovered. However, molecular pathways and biomarker studies assessing thymic epithelial tumors have been reported recently, resulting in the development of new agents, such as molecular targeted agents and immune checkpoint inhibitors. As treatment options are currently limited and the prognosis remains poor in metastases and recurrent thymic carcinoma, genetic alterations need to be assessed. In the present review, we focused on the current role of targeted therapies and immune checkpoint inhibitors in treating thymic carcinoma. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:40:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a9dfd7598fa04abca621263690931564 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6694 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:40:42Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cancers |
| spelling | doaj.art-a9dfd7598fa04abca6212636909315642023-11-22T17:42:32ZengMDPI AGCancers2072-66942021-10-011320523910.3390/cancers13205239Future Perspective of Chemotherapy and Pharmacotherapy in Thymic CarcinomaRui Kitadai0Yusuke Okuma1Department of Thoracic Oncology and Respiratory Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Cancer and Infectious Diseases Center Komagome Hospital, Tokyo 113-8677, JapanDepartment of Thoracic Oncology and Respiratory Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Cancer and Infectious Diseases Center Komagome Hospital, Tokyo 113-8677, JapanThymic carcinoma is a rare cancer that arises from thymic epithelial cells. Its nature and pathology differ from that of benign thymoma, presenting a poorer prognosis. If surgically resectable, surgery alone or surgery followed by chemoradiotherapy or radiotherapy is recommended by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Guidelines. Metastatic and refractory thymic carcinomas require systemic pharmacotherapy. Combined carboplatin and paclitaxel, and cisplatin and anthracycline-based regimens have been shown a fair response rate and survival to provide a de facto standard of care when compared with other drugs employed as first-line chemotherapy. Cytotoxic agents have been pivotal for treating thymic carcinoma, as little is known regarding its tumorigenesis. In addition, genetic alterations, including driver mutations, which play an important role in treatments, have not yet been discovered. However, molecular pathways and biomarker studies assessing thymic epithelial tumors have been reported recently, resulting in the development of new agents, such as molecular targeted agents and immune checkpoint inhibitors. As treatment options are currently limited and the prognosis remains poor in metastases and recurrent thymic carcinoma, genetic alterations need to be assessed. In the present review, we focused on the current role of targeted therapies and immune checkpoint inhibitors in treating thymic carcinoma.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/13/20/5239thymic carcinomachemotherapymolecular targeted agentimmune checkpoint inhibitorclinical trial |
| spellingShingle | Rui Kitadai Yusuke Okuma Future Perspective of Chemotherapy and Pharmacotherapy in Thymic Carcinoma Cancers thymic carcinoma chemotherapy molecular targeted agent immune checkpoint inhibitor clinical trial |
| title | Future Perspective of Chemotherapy and Pharmacotherapy in Thymic Carcinoma |
| title_full | Future Perspective of Chemotherapy and Pharmacotherapy in Thymic Carcinoma |
| title_fullStr | Future Perspective of Chemotherapy and Pharmacotherapy in Thymic Carcinoma |
| title_full_unstemmed | Future Perspective of Chemotherapy and Pharmacotherapy in Thymic Carcinoma |
| title_short | Future Perspective of Chemotherapy and Pharmacotherapy in Thymic Carcinoma |
| title_sort | future perspective of chemotherapy and pharmacotherapy in thymic carcinoma |
| topic | thymic carcinoma chemotherapy molecular targeted agent immune checkpoint inhibitor clinical trial |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/13/20/5239 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ruikitadai futureperspectiveofchemotherapyandpharmacotherapyinthymiccarcinoma AT yusukeokuma futureperspectiveofchemotherapyandpharmacotherapyinthymiccarcinoma |