Advances in thymic carcinoma diagnosis and treatment: a review of literature.

Thymomas account for up to 50 % of anterior mediastinal neoplasms with an incidence of 0.13 per 100,000 person-years in the USA. Thymic carcinoma is a rare malignancy of the thymus gland distinguished from thymomas as it has a more invasive and metastasizing potential conferring poor prognosis. Due to the rarity of thymic carcinoma and the great variety of its histological subtypes, there is no solid evidence on optimal staging, imaging and treatment guidelines. Herein, we systematically review the literature on current clinical practice with regard to diagnostic evaluation, histopathological assessment, management and treatment of squamous thymic carcinoma.

Women's reports of breast implant problems and silicone-related illness.

OBJECTIVE: The safety of silicone breast implants recently has been questioned. Increasing numbers of women have reported a variety of health problems that they attribute to their implants. The purpose of this descriptive study was to explicate the phenomenon of silicone-related illness as reported by women who have had breast implants. DESIGN: A qualitative design was grounded in the theoretical framework proposed by McBride and McBride (1981), the core of which is the first-person, lived experiences of women as interpreted and explained by the women themselves. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were recruited through Command Trust Network, an international support group for women with breast implant problems. The sample consisted of 55 women from 19 states and Canada who experienced health problems they attributed to their implants. Eighteen percent labeled themselves as disabled. RESULTS: Themes emerging from responses to 10 questions are discussed in terms of circumstances leading to initial implantation, understanding risks and benefits, health problems and symptoms, physician response, choices made about implant removal, and psychosocial and emotional consequences. CONCLUSIONS: Findings included dissatisfaction with implants, similarity of health problems, and recurrent surgical and nonsurgical procedures. Dominant themes included lack of informed consent, physician denial of health problems, and the decision to remove implants. Further research should be directed at recipients of implants who report silicone-related illness to determine the number of women affected and the nature of their problems.