EMCTO 2011: Classification of thymic tumours

Prof Michael den Bakker, Erasmus-MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, Netherlands, talks about tumours of the thymic epithelium. These tumours range from benign to malignant with the potential for metastases and can be difficult to diagnose depending on the type. Thymic carcinoma has no histological features and is consequently can only be identified by excluding the possibility of lung metastases, however thymomas are carcinomas of the thymic gland and are more easily identified, giving thymoma patients have a much better prognosis. Prof den Bakker discusses how thymomas are typed and staged, outlines the treatment options available for thymoma patients and explains the relative merits of different classification systems for thymic tumours.