Defining the Clinical Target Volume in Postoperative Thymic Epithelial Tumours - A Clinical Practice Guide for UK Clinical Oncologists
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Thymic epithelial tumours (TETs) are rare tumours, and most patients undergo curative resection. A minority require post-operative radiotherapy (PORT); however, current published guidelines provide differing recommendations. With few cases, a new staging system, increasing use of minimally invasive operative techniques, and challenging histopathology, postoperative radiotherapy planning is increasingly difficult with significant national variation. To bridge this gap, the multidisciplinary British Thoracic Oncology Group (BTOG) Thymic Malignancies Special Interest Group convened a working group to produce a user-friendly, practical guideline for TET postoperative radiotherapy. METHODS: Through synthesis of current published guidelines, expert multidisciplinary opinions (radiologists, surgeons, histopathologists, and clinical oncologists), and a blinded clinical target volume (CTV) contouring assessment, areas of agreement and best practice were identified. RESULTS: Subsequently, mandatory, and optional, recommendations were agreed for all steps of the postoperative radiotherapy planning process, including which areas to treat, radiotherapy planning techniques, and radiotherapy dose fractionation. CONCLUSION: Implementation of this national guideline will improve clinician knowledge related to postoperative radiotherapy for TETs and should reduce unwarranted variations in practice.
Source: Clinical Oncology
Authors: S.D. Robinson, P. Bhatnagar, R. Duerden, S. Dubash, J. Glackin, E. Josephides, D. Lynskey, N. Panakis, C. Peedell, D. Smith, S. Datta, R. Kandadai, A. Kirk, P. Bishop, S. Yancheva, S. Harden, P. Shaw, A. Cascales, D. Abdulwahid, A.M. Shiarli, C. Le Pechoux, D. Gilligan, M. Harris, H. Bien, A. Bille, M. Colvin, S. Datta, R. Duerden, M. Eaton, M. Evison, D. Gilligan, M. Harris, C. Holmes, A. Jeganathan, E. Karapanagiotou, A. Kirk, M.I. Leite, D. Lynskey, A. Montero, K. Rammohan, S. Robinson, K. Ruddock, L. Succony, Y. Summers
Institutions: University of Sussex, University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, St James's University Hospital, Stepping Hill Hospital, Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, Mount Vernon Cancer Centre, Imperial College London, The Christie Hospital, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Guy's Hospital, St Thomas' Hospital, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, James Cook University Hospital, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Royal Alexandra Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Wythenshawe Hospital, Golden Jubilee National Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Velindre Cancer Centre, NHS Lothian, Bank of Cyprus Oncology Center, Institut Gustave Roussy, University of Cambridge
Language: English
Subfield: Neurology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,200
Funder: University Hospitals
OpenAlex ID: W4417178149