Mediastinum has become the official journal of ITMIG

We proudly announce that since May 22, 2024, Mediastinum (MED) has become the official journal of the International Thymic Malignancy Interest Group (ITMIG). This represents a collaborative partnership between two institutions with a mutual goal – the advancement of clinical and basic science pertaining to thymic malignancies and related conditions.

The International Thymic Malignancy Interest Group (ITMIG) is an academic organization that provides structure and organization for the advancement of clinical and basic science pertaining to thymic malignancies and related conditions. It is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization. Formed in 2010, ITMIG has grown rapidly to become the dominant organization in this field, with multiple accomplishments and ongoing activities. The mission of ITMIG is to promote the advancement of clinical and basic science pertaining to thymic and other mediastinal malignancies and related conditions.

Mediastinum (ISSN 2522-6711) is an open access and peer-reviewed medical journal aiming at better understanding and management of mediastinal diseases. It is a professional platform for the sharing of knowledge and experience between interested peers so as to finally benefit the patients. As a unique journal, it is not limited to diseases primary to this narrow space, but encompasses all disorders related to or affecting the mediastinum (including metastatic lesions from other parts of the body, local manifestation of systemic changes, as well as disease extension from neighboring organs or compartments). By allocating the most up-to-date clinical and basic research, state-of-the-art therapeutic approaches, and rich material for education, Mediastinum aims to provide high-level evidence and useful resources for all healthcare professionals engaged in delivering quality care to their mediastinal patients. MED is indexed by PubMed/PubMed Central (PMC) and Scopus.

The first cooperation between ITMIG and MED was dated back to 2017. In 2017, ITMIG worked with MED to publish an Abstract Book and a Special Series dedicated to its 2017 Annual Meeting and publish the first case discussion manuscript from its tumor board in the iMDT (International Multidisciplinary Team) corner of MED. With the favorable cooperation experience, both parties have continued the cooperation.

Focus on the cutting-edge research of thymic diseases 
Since 2017, ITMIG and MED have worked out 5 Special Series dedicated to ITMIG’s Annual Meetings and 5 Abstract Books.

Table 1. List of the Special Series and Abstract Books dedicated to ITMIG’s Annual Meetings published in MED.

Emphasis on multidisciplinary case discussion
ITMIG presents summaries of select cases from its virtual tumor board: cases submitted by treating clinicians for ITMIG’s expert multidisciplinary opinion. The tumor board comprises a moderator and at least one of the following specialists: thoracic surgeon, medical oncologist, radiation oncologist, diagnostic radiologist, and thoracic pathologist, all with significant interest and experience in thymic malignancies. This practice fits well with the idea of MED’s iMDT corner, which involves all relevant international health professionals discussing options and making joint decisions about treatment and supportive care plans for the maximum benefit of patients. Up to now, ITMIG has selected 6 tumor board cases for publication in MED.

We believe the official partnership between MED and ITMIG is a win-win cooperation for both institutions. And we hope this mutual support will facilitate contributions to the field of standardized diagnosis and treatment for thymic diseases for the ultimate benefits of the patients.