Understanding Thymus Cancer: Causes, Symptoms, and Management

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Thymus Cancer

by Alike Medical Team ∙ Updated on June 13, 2023

General

A malignant tumor, or cancer, is a condition in which cells in the body grow out of control. The term “malignant” indicates that there is a probability that the disease will spread beyond the site where it initially develops. Thymus cancer is a rare type of cancer that begins in the thymus, which is an organ in your chest that belongs to the immune system. The thymus gland produces white blood cells called T-lymphocytes. There are two main kinds of thymus cancer: thymoma and thymic carcinoma. Thymic carcinoma is more aggressive and more difficult to treat than thymoma. thymomas are frequently associated with the neuromuscular disorder myasthenia gravis.

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Signs & symptoms

Many times, thymus cancer does not cause any symptoms and is found incidentally during unrelated medical tests or examinations. When symptoms do occur, they are mainly related to the size of the tumor and the compression on adjacent organs, symptoms may include: * cough * shortness of breath * chest pain * face or neck swelling * trouble swallowing * loss of appetite * weight loss

Diagnosis

A general physical exam is done to see if you have any unusual findings. Other tests to diagnose thymus cancer may include: * Imaging studies – chest X-ray, CT scan, MRI and PET scan - can detect a tumor in your chest and may show whether it has spread or not and whether it is resectable. * biopsy with microscopic examination of tumor cells.

Treatment

Treatment depends on the size of the tumor, how far it has spread and your general health. Your recommended treatment plan may include one or more of the following: * Surgery: performed whenever possible to remove the tumor, thymus gland, or other diseased tissues. * Chemotherapy * radiation therapy * biological therapy – medications that modulate the immune system to help the body fight cancer, or attack specific cancer cells.

Note

☝ We provide information on prescription and over-the-counter medicines, diagnosis, procedures and lab tests. This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

National Institutes of Health ∙ World Health Organization ∙ MedlinePluse ∙ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

☝ All information has been reviewed by certified physicians from Alike

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