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American Journal of Roentgenology, Vol 173, 1341-1344, Copyright © 1999 by American Roentgen Ray Society

ARTICLES

Thymic hyperplasia after high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation: incidence and significance in patients with breast cancer

M Hara, HP McAdams, JJ Vredenburgh, JE Herndon and EF Patz Jr
Department of Radiology, Nagoya City University Medical School, Nagoya, Japan.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence and clinical significance of thymic hyperplasia after high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation for treatment of metastatic or high-risk primary (with at least four positive lymph nodes) breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed clinical records and CT scans of 102 breast cancer patients treated with high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation. Patients were 26-63 years old (mean, 46 years). The length and width of the thymus gland were measured on serial CT scans obtained before and after treatment. Moderate thymic hyperplasia was recorded if a focal or diffuse increase was seen in the oblong, triangular soft-tissue opacity conforming to the configuration of the normal gland within the anterior mediastinum after therapy. Minimal hyperplasia was recorded when a minimal increase was seen in soft- tissue attenuation conforming to the configuration of the normal bilobed thymus gland within the anterior mediastinum, but no discrete mass was visible. RESULTS: CT showed no thymic hyperplasia in 91 (89%) of the 102 patients. CT showed thymic hyperplasia in the other 11 patients (11%). Three patients (3%) had moderate hyperplasia, and eight patients (8%) had minimal hyperplasia. When comparing patients with and without hyperplasia, we found no difference in mean age or survival. CONCLUSION: Thymic hyperplasia is rare after high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation in adult patients with metastatic or high-risk primary breast cancer. In this population, thymic hyperplasia does not appear to correlate with survival.
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This article has been cited by other articles:


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 RadiologyHome page
T. Inaoka, K. Takahashi, M. Mineta, T. Yamada, N. Shuke, A. Okizaki, K. Nagasawa, H. Sugimori, and T. Aburano
Thymic Hyperplasia and Thymus Gland Tumors: Differentiation with Chemical Shift MR Imaging
Radiology, June 1, 2007; 243(3): 869 - 876.
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