Sunitinib in thymic carcinoma: enigmas still unresolved
Mené sur 41 patients atteints d'une tumeur épithéliale du thymus réfractaire aux sels de platine (25 carcinomes, 16 thymomes), cet essai de phase II évalue l'efficacité, du point de vue de la réponse tumorale, et la toxicité du sunitinib
Beyond surgery, the optimum treatment for thymic epithelial tumours is unresolved owing to their rarity, histological heterogeneity, and unknown molecular pathogenesis. The response of thymic epithelial tumours to current chemotherapy agents differs by histological features: advanced stage thymomas respond better to first-line platinum-based chemotherapy than do thymic carcinomas, and thymomas respond to anthracyclines whereas thymic carcinomas do not. Furthermore, recurrent thymomas and thymic carcinomas are generally fatal orphan cancers with no standard treatment options after chemotherapeutic failure.
The Lancet Oncology , commentaire, 2014