[Thymomas and associated diseases. Apropos of a series of 255 surgically treated thymomas]. / Thymomes et maladies associées. A propos d'une série de 255 thymomes opérés.

The authors report on a series of 255 thymomas and the associated diseases most often auto-immune, myasthenia is the disease most frequently encountered (61% of cases). Next, but with a much reduced frequency of around 2%, come other diseases such as hypogammaglobulinaemia, erythroblastopenic anaemia, and disseminated lupus erythematosis. The authors analyse the effect of ablating the thymoma on the associated disease; those with myasthenia are the principal beneficiaries of thymic ablation, 83% in this series experiencing a good response. Besides myasthenia only erythroblastopenic anaemia obtained some benefit from thymic ablation; in all the other cases surgery to the thymic tumour had no benefit on the associated disease. In the light of their own experience the authors made a review of the literature of the different diseases associated with thymomas and made the point of the efficacy of thymectomy in the different diseases.

Replacement of the superior vena cava with polytetrafluoroethylene grafts combined with resection of mediastinal-pulmonary malignant tumors. Report of thirteen cases.

From 1979 to 1986, we replaced the superior vena cava with polytetrafluoroethylene grafts in 13 patients to enable resection of malignant mediastinal or pulmonary tumors. Five prostheses could be interposed between a tumor-free proximal superior vena cava and right atrium while eight required separate innominate anastomoses (Y grafts constructed intraoperatively). There were no deaths. Phlebograms obtained 15 to 30 days after the operation demonstrated patency in 12 of 13 patients. Long-term (average 24 months) patency was evident in eight. Five patients are alive at 1, 3, 40, 49, and 60 months, a cumulative survival rate of 27% at 3 years.

[Surgery in small cell anaplastic cancer of the lung]. / La chirurgie dans le cancer anaplasique a petites cellules du poumon.

Surgery has few indications in the treatment of small lung carcinoma. It is currently being evaluated for combined radiotherapeutic/chemotherapeutic treatment strategies.

[Late pulmonary metastases of uterine choriocarcinoma: apropos of a case occurring 19 years after hysterectomy for choriocarcinoma. Review of the literature]. / Les métastases pulmonaires tardives des chorio-carcinomes utérins: à propos d'un cas survenu 19 ans après une hystérectomie pour chorio-carcinome.

The authors report a case of pulmonary metastasis which exceptionally occurred 19 years after hysterectomy for uterine choriocarcinoma. They use this opportunity to take stock of our present knowledge concerning this subject by reviewing a vast literature. This case is of interest, as it provides a new element to the theoretical study of carcinogenesis.