Thymus Cancer

Summary

The thymus is a small organ in your upper chest, under your breastbone. Before birth and during childhood, the thymus helps the body make a type of white blood cell. These cells help protect you from infections.

Cancer of the thymus is rare. You are more likely to get it if you have other diseases such as myasthenia gravis, lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. Sometimes there are no symptoms. Other times, thymus cancer can cause:

• A cough that doesn’t go away
• Chest pain
• Trouble breathing

Doctors use a physical exam, imaging tests, and a biopsy to diagnose thymus cancer. The most common treatment is surgery to remove the tumor. Other options include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy.

NIH: National Cancer Institute

National Cancer Institute

Find an Expert

• American Cancer Society American Cancer Society
• Find a Cancer Doctor American Society of Clinical Oncology
• National Cancer Institute National Cancer Institute
• NCI Designated Cancer Centers National Cancer Institute
• Organizations that Offer Cancer Support Services National Cancer Institute

Diagnosis and Tests

• Can Thymus Cancer Be Found Early? American Cancer Society
• Stages of Thymoma and Thymic Carcinoma National Cancer Institute

Patient Handouts

• Chest radiation – discharge Medical Encyclopedia

Children

• Childhood Thymoma and Thymic Carcinoma Treatment National Cancer Institute

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Thymus Neoplasms National Institutes of Health

Reference Desk

• Dictionary of Cancer Terms National Cancer Institute
• Endocrine System (For Parents) Nemours Foundation
• Thymus Gland Anatomy National Cancer Institute

Start Here

• General Information about Thymoma and Thymic Carcinoma National Cancer Institute
• Thymoma and Thymic Carcinoma American Society of Clinical Oncology
• What Is Thymus Cancer? American Cancer Society

Statistics and Research

• Key Statistics about Thymus Cancers American Cancer Society
• Survival Rates for Thymus Cancer American Cancer Society

Encyclopedia

• Mediastinal tumor Medical Encyclopedia

Related Issues

• Myasthenia Gravis National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Journal Articles

• Thymus Cancer

Treatments and Therapies

• Treatment Option Overview (Thymoma and Thymic Carcinoma) National Cancer Institute

Prevention and Risk Factors

• What Are the Risk Factors for Thymus Cancer? American Cancer Society