State-of-the-art classification and multimodality treatment of malignant thymoma

Thymomas are the most common tumors of the anterior mediastinum. Classification, treatment options and understanding of the pathophysiology of thymoma have changed over the past years. It is hoped that novel therapeutic strategies will lead to a survival benefit in these patients. It has turned out that patients with thymoma are best treated with multimodality therapy. In this review, a pathologist, an immunologist, a surgeon, a radiotherapist, a pneumologist and oncologists discuss the current status of classification and strategies for the treatment of thymoma patients. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.