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Sicolo E, Zirafa CC, Romano G, Brandolini J, De Palma A, Bongiolatti S, Gallina FT, Ricciardi S, Maestri M, Guida M, Morganti R, Carleo G, Mugnaini G, Tajè R, Calabró F, Lenzini A, Davini F, Cardillo G, Facciolo F, Voltolini L, Marulli G, Solli P, Melfi F. National Multicenter Study on the Comparison of Robotic and Open Thymectomy for Thymic Neoplasms in Myasthenic Patients: Surgical, Neurological and Oncological Outcomes. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:406. [PMID: 38254894 PMCID: PMC10814766 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16020406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Thymectomy is the gold standard in the treatment of thymic neoplasm and plays a key role in the therapeutic path of myasthenia gravis. For years, sternotomy has been the traditional approach for removing anterior mediastinal lesions, although the robotic thymectomy is now widely performed. The literature is still lacking in papers comparing the two approaches and evaluating long-term oncological and neurological outcomes. This study aims to analyze the postoperative results of open and robotic thymectomy for thymic neoplasms in myasthenic patients. Surgical, oncological and neurological data of myasthenic patients affected by thymic neoplasms and surgically treated with extended thymectomy, both with the open and the robotic approach, in six Italian Thoracic Centers between 2011 and 2021 were evaluated. A total of 213 patients were enrolled in the study: 110 (51.6%) were treated with the open approach, and 103 (48.4%) were treated with robotic surgery. The open surgery, compared with the robotic, presented a shorter operating time (p < 0.001), a higher number of postoperative complications (p = 0.038) and longer postoperative hospitalization (p = 0.006). No other differences were observed in terms of surgical, oncological or neurological outcomes. The robotic approach can be considered safe and feasible, comparable to the open technique, in terms of surgical, oncological and neurological outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Sicolo
- Minimally Invasive and Robotic Thoracic Surgery—Surgical, Medical, Molecular and Critical Care Pathology Department, University Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (C.C.Z.); (G.R.); (F.C.); (A.L.); (F.D.); (F.M.)
| | - Carmelina Cristina Zirafa
- Minimally Invasive and Robotic Thoracic Surgery—Surgical, Medical, Molecular and Critical Care Pathology Department, University Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (C.C.Z.); (G.R.); (F.C.); (A.L.); (F.D.); (F.M.)
| | - Gaetano Romano
- Minimally Invasive and Robotic Thoracic Surgery—Surgical, Medical, Molecular and Critical Care Pathology Department, University Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (C.C.Z.); (G.R.); (F.C.); (A.L.); (F.D.); (F.M.)
| | - Jury Brandolini
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (J.B.); (P.S.)
| | - Angela De Palma
- Unit of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70121 Bari, Italy; (A.D.P.); (G.C.); (G.M.)
| | - Stefano Bongiolatti
- Thoracic Surgery Unit, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Careggi University Hospital, 50134 Florence, Italy; (S.B.); (G.M.); (L.V.)
| | - Filippo Tommaso Gallina
- Thoracic Surgery Unit IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Center, 00144 Rome, Italy; (F.T.G.); (R.T.); (F.F.)
| | - Sara Ricciardi
- Unit of Thoracic Surgery, Azienda Ospedaliera San Camillo Forlanini, 00152 Rome, Italy; (S.R.); (G.C.)
| | - Michelangelo Maestri
- Neurology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (M.M.)
| | - Melania Guida
- Neurology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (M.M.)
| | - Riccardo Morganti
- Section of Statistics, University Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy;
| | - Graziana Carleo
- Unit of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70121 Bari, Italy; (A.D.P.); (G.C.); (G.M.)
| | - Giovanni Mugnaini
- Thoracic Surgery Unit, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Careggi University Hospital, 50134 Florence, Italy; (S.B.); (G.M.); (L.V.)
| | - Riccardo Tajè
- Thoracic Surgery Unit IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Center, 00144 Rome, Italy; (F.T.G.); (R.T.); (F.F.)
| | - Fabrizia Calabró
- Minimally Invasive and Robotic Thoracic Surgery—Surgical, Medical, Molecular and Critical Care Pathology Department, University Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (C.C.Z.); (G.R.); (F.C.); (A.L.); (F.D.); (F.M.)
| | - Alessandra Lenzini
- Minimally Invasive and Robotic Thoracic Surgery—Surgical, Medical, Molecular and Critical Care Pathology Department, University Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (C.C.Z.); (G.R.); (F.C.); (A.L.); (F.D.); (F.M.)
| | - Federico Davini
- Minimally Invasive and Robotic Thoracic Surgery—Surgical, Medical, Molecular and Critical Care Pathology Department, University Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (C.C.Z.); (G.R.); (F.C.); (A.L.); (F.D.); (F.M.)
| | - Giuseppe Cardillo
- Unit of Thoracic Surgery, Azienda Ospedaliera San Camillo Forlanini, 00152 Rome, Italy; (S.R.); (G.C.)
| | - Francesco Facciolo
- Thoracic Surgery Unit IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Center, 00144 Rome, Italy; (F.T.G.); (R.T.); (F.F.)
| | - Luca Voltolini
- Thoracic Surgery Unit, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Careggi University Hospital, 50134 Florence, Italy; (S.B.); (G.M.); (L.V.)
| | - Giuseppe Marulli
- Unit of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70121 Bari, Italy; (A.D.P.); (G.C.); (G.M.)
| | - Piergiorgio Solli
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (J.B.); (P.S.)
| | - Franca Melfi
- Minimally Invasive and Robotic Thoracic Surgery—Surgical, Medical, Molecular and Critical Care Pathology Department, University Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (C.C.Z.); (G.R.); (F.C.); (A.L.); (F.D.); (F.M.)
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Rath J, Moser B, Zimprich F. Thymectomy in myasthenia gravis. Curr Opin Neurol 2023; 36:416-423. [PMID: 37639450 DOI: 10.1097/wco.0000000000001189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Thymectomy has long been used in the treatment of patients with myasthenia gravis and antibodies against the acetylcholine receptor. However, its effectiveness has only been proven a few years ago in a randomized controlled trial in patients under the age of 65. Here, we review the current literature focusing on patient subgroups, potential biomarkers for outcome prediction and the choice of surgical approach. RECENT FINDINGS Long-term follow-up studies after thymectomy confirmed that the benefits regarding clinical outcome parameters and a reduced need for immunosuppressive treatment persist. Nevertheless, a substantial proportion of patients in real-world cohorts do not reach complete stable remission after thymectomy indicating that the underlying autoimmune process is sustained in the periphery. Our understanding of the responsible mechanisms has improved with recent studies. Presently, outcome data after thymectomy in several patient subgroups, such as those aged over 50 years, those with juvenile onset or those with purely ocular symptoms are limited and have been the focus of recent research activities. Similarly, biomarkers guiding an appropriate patient selection for thymectomy are under investigation. A number of cohort studies demonstrated that minimal invasive surgical techniques such as extended robotic thymectomy lead to similar positive outcomes as a transsternal approach with potentially fewer short-term adverse effects. SUMMARY Thymectomy is an effective treatment option in adult patients with early onset acetylcholine-receptor positive myasthenia gravis but uncertainty remains with regard to certain patient subgroups.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bernhard Moser
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- ESTS Thymic Working Group
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