A national analysis of open versus minimally invasive thymectomy for stage I to III thymoma
Phase observationalN = 1,223
- Population
- 1,223 patients who had thymectomy for clinical stage I to III thymoma in the National Cancer Data Base, 2010-2014
- Design
- Retrospective National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) analysis of thymectomy for clinical stage I to III thymoma, 2010 to 2014: 1,223 thymectomies, 317 (26%) minimally invasive (141 video-assisted thoracoscopic, 176 robotic). Multivariable Cox proportional hazards modelling and propensity-score matching (185 open and 185 minimally invasive); outcomes by surgical approach were evaluated by intent to treat. Median length of stay 3 (2-4) days with minimally invasive versus 4 (3-6) days with open surgery (P < .001); in the matched analysis 3 versus 4 days (P < .01). In the matched analysis the abstract reports no significant differences in margin positivity (P = .84), 30-day readmission (P = .28), 30-day mortality (P = .60) or 5-year survival (89.4% versus 81.6%, P = .20); it does not label which of the two survival figures belongs to which group, so no group-level value is recorded. Not randomised.
- Arms
- Open thymectomy (control): Open thymectomy (group size not stated in the abstract)
- Minimally invasive thymectomy (experimental, n = 317): Video-assisted thoracoscopic or robotic thymectomy
- People
- Yang CJ, senior author Berry MF