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What is Thymic Carcinoma?

Cathy Crenshaw Doheny
Cathy Crenshaw Doheny

The thymus is a small, irregular-shaped organ located in the upper chest, just behind the breastbone. A crucial component of the immune system, the thymus is responsible for the production and development of T lymphocytes, also known as T cells, a type of white blood cell that helps protect the body from a variety of infections, including those caused by fungi and viruses. Thymic carcinoma, also known as type C thymoma, is the most dangerous cancer of the thymus. This rare malignancy has a high rate of metastasis, is difficult to keep in remission, and has a poor overall prognosis.

Thymic carcinoma and other thymomas are the two main types of tumors that originate from thymic epithelial cells, which lie on the surface of the thymus and help to form its structure and shape. The World Health Organization (WHO) has created a system that physicians can use to classify any given thymoma or thymic carcinoma based on its microscopic appearance. This allows physicians to assign letters to the tumor to help identify it, develop a treatment plan, and formulate a prognosis. These letters range from A to C, with the former as the least severe, and the latter carrying the worst prognosis.

Thymic carcinomas have been found incidentally on routine chest x-rays.
Thymic carcinomas have been found incidentally on routine chest x-rays.

Thymic carcinoma is classified as Type C, as it is usually comprised of fast-growing cells that exhibit the most abnormalities when viewed under a microscope. At the time of diagnosis, thymic carcinoma has usually metastasized, which means that it has spread to other parts of the body. This can make formulating a treatment plan more challenging. Surgical removal of the tumor is usually the first line of therapy. Depending on the stage of the cancer at diagnosis, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and radiation may also be prescribed. The 10-year survival rate for patients diagnosed with thymic carcinoma is approximately 28%.

Thymic carcinoma is often comprised of fast-growing cells that exhibit many abnormalities when viewed under a microscope.
Thymic carcinoma is often comprised of fast-growing cells that exhibit many abnormalities when viewed under a microscope.

Thymic carcinoma often goes unnoticed until the tumor begins to press on the patient's windpipe. It can also produce hormones that frequently cause symptoms. These may include a persistent cough, asthma, swelling of the face, diarrhea, red and warm skin, and chest pain. Some patients may have no symptoms of the cancer at all. In this case, the tumor may have been an incidental finding on a routine chest x-ray.

Thymic cancers are uncommon, representing only about 1.5% of all cancer cases. Patients most likely to be diagnosed with thymic carcinoma are men between the ages of 40 and 60. The cause of this type of cancer is unknown.

Discussion Comments

Charred

@NathanG - I agree. The problem is that there’s so much information out on the Internet that too many people try to engage in self-diagnosis.

That’s okay for the common cold, but chest pains of any kind should be signals to see the doctor. There are just too many possible causes for chest pain, and an accurate diagnosis depends on more than the pain itself but also on other symptoms as well, which a doctor will take into account.

NathanG

I think the fact that this kind of cancer produces chest pain in some cases should be an indication that not all chest pain means a heart attack.

That’s why you should always get a doctor’s opinion if you’re complaining of chest pain of any kind.

I had chest pain a few years back and went to the emergency room. They found out that everything was normal, which was good, but couldn’t explain the pain, which was not good, except to say that maybe it was heartburn.

At any rate, a thymic carcinoma prognosis wouldn’t be better news than a heart condition, but it’s good to know in either case.

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    • Thymic carcinomas have been found incidentally on routine chest x-rays.
      By: IvicaNS
      Thymic carcinomas have been found incidentally on routine chest x-rays.
    • Thymic carcinoma is often comprised of fast-growing cells that exhibit many abnormalities when viewed under a microscope.
      By: luchschen_shutter
      Thymic carcinoma is often comprised of fast-growing cells that exhibit many abnormalities when viewed under a microscope.
    • Thymic carcinoma is the most dangerous cancer of the thymus.
      By: designua
      Thymic carcinoma is the most dangerous cancer of the thymus.
    • Thymic carcinoma is difficult to keep in remission and usually has a poor prognosis.
      By: Photographee.eu
      Thymic carcinoma is difficult to keep in remission and usually has a poor prognosis.
    • Carcinomas are classified as malignant because they have the ability to metastasize through surrounding tissue.
      By: joshya
      Carcinomas are classified as malignant because they have the ability to metastasize through surrounding tissue.
    • Oncologists base their prognosis and treatment plan on which classification the thymic carcinoma falls under.
      By: Photographee.eu
      Oncologists base their prognosis and treatment plan on which classification the thymic carcinoma falls under.
    • Persistent coughing and chest pain are among the symptoms caused by thymic carcinoma.
      By: Creativa
      Persistent coughing and chest pain are among the symptoms caused by thymic carcinoma.
    • The thymus is found in the area of the chest that is between the lungs.
      By: reineg
      The thymus is found in the area of the chest that is between the lungs.