Lymph Node Dissection in Thymoma: Is it worth it?

Lung Cancer

Department of Thoracic Surgery, Lung and Heart-Lung Transplantation, Louis Pradel Hospital, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France; National Expert Center for Thymic Malignancies, Réseau Tumeurs THYMiques et Cancer (RYTHMIC), Lyon, France.

Published: July 2021

AI Article Synopsis

  • The study aimed to assess the incidence of lymph node metastasis and the effects of systematic lymph node dissection (LND) in patients with thymomas, a type of tumor affecting the thymus gland.
  • Out of 54 patients undergoing LND from 2017 to 2020, there was a significant increase in the number of lymph nodes retrieved compared to a control group that had surgery from 2015 to 2017.
  • While more nodal metastases were detected in the study group, the overall occurrence was low, suggesting that LND may not be necessary in cases of small, encapsulated, and low-grade thymomas due to risks of complications.

Article Abstract

Objectives: Lymph node dissection (LND) and nodal metastases in thymomas remain controversial and understudied. The aim of our study was to evaluate the incidence of nodal metastasis and the short term outcomes of systematic LND in thymomas.

Material And Methods: From December 2017 to September 2020, we performed 54 LND conducted according to the International Thymic Malignancy Interest Group (ITMIG) lymph node map. This group was compared to a historical control group of 55 patients who underwent surgery in our center from January 2015 to November 2017.

Results: LND was performed in 72 % and in 5 % of the cases in the study cohort group and historical control group, respectively. The number of lymph nodes retrieved was significantly higher in the study cohort group (3.89 per patient vs. 1.62, p = 0.0021). In the whole population studied, nodal metastases were found in 3 patients (2.8 % of all patients) with 5.6 % in the cohort study group vs. 0 % in the control group (p = 0.12). Patients with nodal metastasis had larger tumors (> 7 cm), and a higher histology grade (B2 and B3). There was a trend towards higher risk of laryngeal nerve palsy in the cohort study group (9.3 % vs. 1.8 %, p = 0.11).

Conclusion: Systematic LND increases the number of lymph node harvested and detects more lymph node metastases, which remains infrequent in thymomas. The impact of LND and the true prognostic significance of lymph node metastases remains controversial. Given the potential complications, LND or sampling should not be perfomed in small, encapsulated and low grade thymomas.

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.lungcan.2021.05.022DOI Listing

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