Thymus Cancer: A Rare Cancer of the Chest

The thymus is a small organ in the upper chest, beneath the breastbone. Before birth and through childhood it helps the body make a type of white blood cell that protects against infection.

Cancer of the thymus is rare. It is more likely in people who have certain other diseases, such as:

• myasthenia gravis;
• lupus;
• rheumatoid arthritis.

Symptoms

Sometimes there are none. Otherwise thymus cancer can cause:

• a cough that won't go away;
• chest pain;
• trouble breathing.

Diagnosis and treatment

Doctors diagnose it with a physical exam, imaging tests and a biopsy. The most common treatment is surgery to remove the tumour; others include radiation therapy, chemotherapy and hormone therapy.

Sources

• MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, "Thymus Cancer," from the NIH National Cancer Institute. https://medlineplus.gov/thymuscancer.html
• Rewritten in hubnx's own words.