A prospective, phase II trial of induction chemotherapy with docetaxel/cisplatin for Masaoka stage III/IV thymic epithelial tumors.

7104 Background: Thymic epithelial tumors (TETs), thymoma and thymic carcinoma, are the most common tumor of the anterior mediastinum. Initial complete resection is the most powerful prognostic indicator of survival. However, it is obviously related to stage. Here, we report the result of a prospective phase II study of neoadjuvant docetaxel/cisplatin in patients with locally advanced TETs. Methods: In this open-label, phase II, nonrandomized study, patients with histologically proven, Masaoka stage III/IV TETs at presentation were enrolled. Patients received docetaxel 75mg/m2 I.V for 1 hr, followed by I.V cisplatin 75mg/m2 over 1.5hr on day 1 of every 3 week. After 3 cycles of chemotherapy, subsequent surgical resection was performed, if resectable. Results: From March 2007 to July 2011, a total of 27 TETs patients were entered into the trial. The median age was 54 (range, 15-68), and Masaoka stage at presentation was III (n=8, 29.6%), IVA (n=17, 63.0%), and IVB (n=2, 7.4%). Histologic type by the WHO in...