Thymoma and Thymic Carcinoma

Thymoma and thymic carcinoma are two types of tumors that affect the thymus, a small organ part of the lymphatic system that lies in the upper chest under the breastbone. It makes a type of white blood cells called lymphocytes that protect the body against infections.

Thymoma grows slowly and rarely spread beyond the thymus. However, thymic carcinoma grows more rapidly and can spread outside the chest, making it more difficult to treat.

Thymoma and thymic carcinoma are rare tumors, and people with thymoma often have autoimmune diseases such as myasthenia gravis. The cause of thymoma is unknown, and risk factors have not been found. It affects men and women equally and is most often seen in people ages 50-60 years old.

Signs & symptoms

The disease does not usually present with many symptoms, and can be found during a routine medical exam. Symptoms can include:

Chest pain and trouble breathing
Cough that does not go away
Ptosis (drooping of the upper eyelid)

Diagnosis

Chest X-ray to determine the location and size of the tumor
CT/PET scans to determine the extent of disease
Biopsy of the tumor for further examination under a microscope
MRI scan

Treatment of thymoma and thymic carcinoma at KHCC

Thymoma and thymic carcinoma are usually diagnosed, staged, and treated according the stage of the cancer and the patient’s health status. Early stage thymic tumors are usually treated through surgery to remove the whole thymus gland, sometimes with part of the surrounding structure to make sure that the whole tumor is resected. Surgery is usually followed by radiotherapy to make sure that the whole area of the tumor bed is sterilized. Chemotherapy may be used in treatment as well, but this usually depends on the stage of the cancer.