Efficacy and toxicities of gemcitabine and cisplatin combined with endostar in advanced thymoma and thymic carcinoma

Background Thymoma and thymic carcinoma are rare thymic epithelial tumors. We investigated the efficacy of first-line gemcitabine and cisplatin (GP) chemotherapy versus gemcitabine and cisplatin chemotherapy combined with the anti-angiogenic drug endostar (GP + E) in advanced thymoma and thymic carcinoma. Methods The records of 45 patients with invasive metastatic thymomas or thymic carcinomas treated with GP as first-line therapy between August 2008 and July 2017 at the Department of Respiratory Medicine, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute were retrospectively reviewed. Results Eighteen patients (75%) in the GP + E group achieved a partial response and six (25%) had stable disease. In GP only group, nine (42.8%) patients achieved a partial response, 11 (52.4%) had stable disease, and one (4.8%) had progressive disease. The GP + E group had a significantly higher overall response rate (75% vs. 42.9%; P = 0.028), and median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of 19 and 76 months, respectively. In the GP only group, median PFS and OS were 16 and 29 months, respectively. PFS and OS were not significantly different between the groups. Conclusions GP has moderate efficacy and could represent a suitable first-line therapy for thymic carcinoma and thymoma. Chemotherapy combined with endostar could improve the overall response rate, but did not prolong PFS or OS.