Hormone therapy is another treatment option for thymus cancers. Some hormones cause the cancer to grow, and if your cancer is found to have hormone receptors (places for hormones to attach), drugs may be given to block the action of hormones on the cancer cells.
What are the treatment options for thymus cancer?
Surgery is the surest way to eliminate the cancer and is performed whenever possible to remove the tumor, thymus gland, or other diseased tissues. If the cancer is too large or has spread too far to be completely removed, your doctor may recommend radiation to first shrink the tumor and then operate.
What are the best supplements for thymus restoration?
Zinc is first line therapy for thymus restoration. Vitamin A supports the thymus and stimulates the immune response. Daily supplementation with high dose vitamin C maintains the size and weight of the thymus and increases the number of T cells. You also need enough selenium for immunity against viruses and cancer.
What is thymus gland removal surgery for?
One is for congenital heart surgery. A congenital heart condition is a birth defect of the heart. Due to the location of the thymus gland, it must be removed for surgeons to gain access to the heart in infants. Another common reason for this surgery is for a person with thymic cancer.
What is thymus gland cancer?
The thymus gland is an organ in your chest, underneath your breastbone. It is a part of the lymphatic system in your body’s immune system. The thymus gland produces white blood cells called lymphocytes, which help your body fight infection. There are two main kinds of thymus cancer — thymoma and thymic carcinoma — and both are rare.
What happens if you have an enlarged thymus?
Hyperplastic thymus can cause local symptoms like cyanosis, dyspnea, superior vena cava syndrome due to compression of local structures. It can also cause systemic symptoms due to autoimmune diseases like myasthenia gravis. CT-scan or MRI of the chest is used for diagnosis. The best treatment is usually thymectomy.
What causes an enlarged thymus gland in adults?
Thymic hyperplasia, also known as rebound hyperplasia, is the most common cause of a diffusely enlarged thymus. It typically is a rebound phenomenon after atrophy caused by corticosteroids or chemotherapy, and it is not associated with any symptoms.
Should you remove an enlarged thymus?
After puberty, the thymus does not play an important role and removing it does not result in any ill-effects or any problems with the immune system.
What does enlarged thymus gland mean?
Enlargement of the thymus, however, is common in infancy. The cause is unknown; it may be due to thymic hyperfunction or dysfunction related to the endocrine activity of the gland. Patients usually present with symptoms of irritation of the mediastinal structures; symptoms may range from none to respiratory distress.
What kind of doctor treats thymus gland?
Mayo Clinic thoracic surgeons are experienced in treating myasthenia gravis and performing surgery to remove the thymus gland (thymectomy). At Mayo Clinic, you might have the option of a minimally invasive thymectomy, such as a video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery or robotic surgery.
How do you treat thymus naturally?
[4] Zinc is first line therapy for thymus restoration. Vitamin A supports the thymus and stimulates the immune response. Daily supplementation with high dose vitamin C maintains the size and weight of the thymus and increases the number of T cells. You also need enough selenium for immunity against viruses and cancer.
Is thymectomy a major surgery?
A sternotomy is a major surgery, requiring three to five days in the hospital, and up to six weeks to recover. Robotic thymectomy is much less invasive. Because there is no long incision and the chest does not have to be opened, patients experience: A shorter hospital stay – usually going home the day after surgery.
What is the recovery time for a thymectomy?
The recovery time depends on the type of surgery. It may take 1 to 2 weeks or as long as 3 months. Physical activity will be limited during this time. You will need to delay return to work.
How many hours does thymectomy surgery take?
A thymectomy will typically take 1 to 3 hours to complete. This procedure is typically performed in the cardiothoracic operating room (OR). Check with your doctor about the details of your procedure. Our thoracic surgeons are able to offer the robotic approach.
What happens if the thymus doesn't shrink?
The thymus is a vital yet unusual organ. Vital in that it is responsible for producing immune cells; unusual in that it is largest at childhood and progressively shrinks after puberty. The result is less T cell production, which should lead to a higher risk of infection or cancer.
What does an enlarged thymus feel like?
Swelling in the face, neck, and upper chest, sometimes with a bluish color. Swelling of the visible veins in this part of the body. Headaches. Feeling dizzy or light-headed.
Can thymoma be cured?
Many early-stage thymomas can be cured with surgery to remove the tumor along with a small margin of surrounding healthy tissue. Oftentimes, a localized tumor can be removed without the need to perform a preliminary biopsy.
How to diagnose thymus cancer?
A general physical exam is done to see if you have any unusual findings, such as lumps. Other tests are used to diagnose thymus cancer: 1 chest X-ray 2 imaging tests such as PET scan, CT scan, and MRI 3 biopsy with microscopic examination of thymus cells
What is the thymus gland?
The thymus gland is an organ in your chest, underneath your breastbone. It is a part of the lymphatic system in your body’s immune system. The thymus gland produces white blood cells called lymphocytes, which help your body fight infection. There are two main kinds of thymus cancer — thymoma and thymic carcinoma — and both are rare.
What is the long term outlook for thymus cancer?
Long-term outlook for thymus cancers depends on a multitude of factors, including your age and overall health, whether surgery removed all of the tumor, the type of cancer cells present, and the stage of the disease.
What tests are used to diagnose thymus cancer?
Other tests are used to diagnose thymus cancer: chest X-ray. imaging tests such as PET scan, CT scan, and MRI. biopsy with microscopic examination of thymus cells. A staging system is a method of classifying cancer based on its size, extent, and other characteristics. Thymus cancer is staged using the TNM staging system, ...
How many people have no symptoms of thymus cancer?
According to the American Cancer Society, roughly 4 out of 10 people have no symptoms when they’re diagnosed with thymus cancer. Many times, this cancer is found during unrelated medical tests or examinations.
Is thymus cancer rare?
There are two main kinds of thymus cancer — thymoma and thymic carcinoma — and both are rare. Cancer occurs when cancer cells form on the outside surface of the thymus. Thymic carcinoma is more aggressive and more difficult to treat than thymoma. Thymic carcinoma is also referred to as type C thymoma. People with thymoma may have an autoimmune ...
What is complementary medicine?
Complementary methods refer to treatments that are used along with your regular medical care. Alternative treatments are used instead of a doctor’s medical treatment. Although some of these methods might be helpful in relieving symptoms or helping you feel better, many have not been proven to work.
Should I seek a second opinion on thymus cancer?
A second opinion can give you more information and help you feel more confident about the treatment plan you choose. Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Thymus Cancer. Seeking a Second Opinion.
Is thymus cancer rare?
Because thymic cancer is rare, it's been hard to do large studies looking at treatments and comparing one against another. That’s why in many cases the best way to treat this cancer is not always clear. Treatment of Thymus Cancers by Extent and Type of Tumor.
A healthy thymus enhances immunity to beat infections, prevent cancer, and extend lifespan
Imagine in the middle of the galaxy there’s a small, but essential asteroid that starships returning to Earth must visit to receive a vital nutrient mined in the asteroid’s interior. This substance revitalizes passengers and crew, so they’re well enough to complete the journey home.
The Thymus Gland Is The Main Immune Organ
The thymus gland is located in the center of the chest behind the sternum, equidistant between the lungs just above the heart. It’s composed of two lobes. Each lobe has smaller sections called lobules, giving the thymus a bumpy appearance.
The Thymus as Lifespan Pacemaker
Anti-aging researchers and doctors knew about the importance of the thymus gland even before Dr. Miller identified T cells. In the 1930s, a Swiss physician, Dr. Paul Niehans, was among the first to inject patients with preparations made from animal thymus glands. In 1955, another Swiss physician and student of Niehans’, Dr.
Strategies to Regenerate Thymic Function
When it comes to natural health, we ignore our thymus. That needs to change. Restoring the thymus is essential to surviving infections, preventing and beating cancer, and prolonging health during aging.
Thymus-Friendly Diet & Lifestyle
There are no specific foods for optimal thymic function. Still, it makes sense that a healthy, plant-based diet high in micronutrients with adequate protein can support healthy immunity and prolong health during aging.
Nutrients & Plant Compounds
Zinc plays an essential role in growth and development and is necessary for a healthy immune system. A zinc deficiency causes reduced T cell function, slower wound healing, and other immune system defects. [4] Zinc is first line therapy for thymus restoration.
Thymus Gland Extracts
Glandular extracts have a long history of use in Europe, as well as in traditional Chinese medicine. Though the biological mechanisms of how they work in the body are not well known, there is clinical evidence that thymus and spleen extracts reduce inflammation, speed wound healing, help eliminate viruses, and inhibit cancer cells. [5]
Why is thymus removed?
Thymectomy. Surgery to remove the thymus gland may be done for a number of reasons. One is for congenital heart surgery. A congenital heart condition is a birth defect of the heart. Due to the location of the thymus gland, it must be removed for surgeons to gain access to the heart in infants.
What is the function of the thymus gland?
The thymus gland is a small organ behind the breastbone that plays an important function both in the immune system and endocrine system. Though the thymus begins to atrophy (decay) during puberty, its effect in "training" T lymphocytes to fight infections and even cancer lasts for a lifetime.
Why does the thymus gland atrophy?
The gland is very small in elderly people, but can sometimes atrophy prematurely in response to severe stress. The term used to describe the atrophy of the thymus gland with age is "thymic involution.". 1 .
How does the thymus gland change with age?
The thymus gland is large in infants, but after infancy, it grows and reaches its maximum size during puberty. After puberty, the thymus gland shrinks and becomes largely replaced with fat. The gland is very small in elderly people, but can sometimes atrophy prematurely in response to severe stress.
Why is the thymus called the thymus?
It is named the thymus due to its shape being similar to that of a thyme leaf—pyramid-shaped with two lobes. The two lobes of the thymus are broken down into lobules. These lobules have an outer cortex occupied by immature T lymphocytes, and an inner medulla occupied by mature T lymphocytes.
What is the role of T cells in the immune system?
T cells (also known as T lymphocytes or thymus-derived lymphocytes) mature in the thymus gland and play a central role in cell-mediated immunity, meaning that the cells themselves are active in fighting off foreign invaders such as bacteria, viruses, cancer cells, and more.
Where is the thymus gland located?
Sometimes, however, the thymus gland is found in another (ectopic) location, such as in the neck, the thyroid gland, or on the surface of the lungs (the pleura) near the area where the blood vessels and bronchi enter the lungs.
History and Anatomy
Function
- From the time you're conceived until you reach puberty, your thymus gland is very active. It serves both the immune and endocrine systems. That's the system that makes hormones, the body's chemical messengers. To understand the thymus' immune system role, you need to know the difference between two kinds of white blood cells. They are the T lymphocytes (T-cells) and B ly…
Associated Conditions
- Many conditions can affect the thymus gland, ranging from genetic disorders to cancers in older adults. These can lead to problems with immunity and autoimmunity.11
Summary
- The thymus gland plays a vital role in training the immune system to protect the body against infections, even cancer. This process begins when you're conceived. The thymus gland reaches its maximum size when you're a teenager. Then it starts to shrink slowly. Some scientists believe the natural shrinking of the thymus gland triggers the aging of the immune system. That's why as w…
A Word from Verywell
- Your thymus gland is essential to both your immune and endocrine systems. The microchemical processes it controls are very complex. Researchers didn't have the scientific knowledge to understand many of them until recently. They're still learning. The dramatic rise in autoimmune disorders has increased scientists' interest in the thymus. Even more intriguing is its role in the a…