Thymus Cancer (Thymoma and Thymic Carcinoma): The Basics

The thymus is a gland that is found under the breastbone. It is part of your immune system and makes T lymphocytes that fight infection. When there are cancer cells in the thymus, it is called thymus cancer. There are two main types of thymus cancer: Thymoma and thymic carcinoma.

• Thymoma is a slow-growing tumor that does not spread.
• Thymic carcinoma is faster-growing (aggressive) and spreads.

Cancer that has spread from the thymus to another part of the body is called metastatic cancer.

Risks

There are not many risks for thymus cancer that are known. But some people with thymoma may have autoimmune diseases like myasthenia gravis.

Screening

Currently, there are no screening tests for thymus cancer. But if your provider thinks you have thymus cancer, they can do some of the imaging tests used for diagnosis.

Signs of Thymus Cancer

Signs of thymus cancer are:

• Cough.
• Chest pain.
• Shortness of breath.
• Hoarseness.
• Losing your appetite.
• Having a hard time swallowing.

Thymus cancer can cause autoimmune problems such as myasthenia gravis, red cell aplasia, and hypogammaglobulinemia.

Diagnosis

This type of cancer is most often diagnosed with an X-ray or imaging test of the chest. If it has spread to other parts of the chest, those areas may be biopsied.

Staging Thymus Cancer

Cancer of the thymus is staged using either the TNM system by the American Joint Committee on Cancer or the Masaoka staging system. The stages range from I (1) to IV (4).

For TNM staging, the stage is based on:

• Size and where the tumor is.
• If cancer cells are found in the lymph nodes.
• If cancer cells are found in other parts of the body (called metastasis).

For the Masaoka staging system, the stage is based on:

• The extent of the disease.
• If the cancer has spread to nearby tissues.
• The type of cell that makes up the cancer.

Treatment

Often, these treatments are used:

• Surgery: removal of part or all of the thymus gland.
• Radiation Therapy: the use of high-energy X-rays to kill cancer cells.
• Chemotherapy: the use of medications to kill cancer cells.

This article is an introduction to cancer of the thymus. You can learn more about thymus cancer staging and treatment at OncoLink.org.