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Thymus Gland Cancer Prognosis

The thymus gland is a part of the endocrine system and consists of a variety of loosely related cells, tissues, and organs that act together with parts of the nervous system to control the activities of the body and maintain a sort of harmony, referred to as homeostasis. The thymus gland is a soft structure made of two lobes. It is located in front of the aortic arch (the large artery above the heart) and behind the upper portion of the sternum. Cancer in the thymus gland is not often seen, and debates over estimating a prognosis still exist among physicians.

  1. Cancer Prognosis

    • Although the thymus varies in size from person to person, it is usually large during infancy and childhood. The thymus is responsible for the production of specialized white blood cells known as T-cells. These cells work with and are an integral part of the immune system, which detects and destroys foreign objects such as cancer.

      Thymoma is the proper name for cancer in the thymus. When thymoma is present, the first process to establish a prognosis is called the stage or staging. This refers to how far along the thymoma is within the organ.

    Staging

    • Not all physicians agree on a single staging system, which makes the process of developing a prognosis that all agree upon difficult. The most common staging system is the Masaoka system. While other systems do exist, the Masaoka system is the most popular and bases its findings on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computerized tomography (CT) scans, whether the tumor on the gland is difficult to separate, its hardness, and if cancer cells are seen beyond the surgically removed sample through a microscope. Staging is classified into four parts, each with its own unique marker that clearly places a stage number on the thymoma.

    Stage One and Two

    • During stage one, the thymoma has not spread to the outer layer of the thymus or is not invasive. There are no cancerous cells that can be seen anywhere on the thymus wall. This is good news and your physician may recommend the "wait and see" option.

      Stage two shows clear invasion of the thymus outer wall, or capsule. The cells may have also invaded nearby tissue that lies between the two lungs. This stage and those that follow require medical treatment.

    Stage Three and Four

    • At stage three, the thymoma has spread to organs that are nearby, such as the outer lining of the heart, the pericardium. The invasion may also include the lower neck, the area of the upper chest or major blood vessels entering and leaving the heart.

      Stages four is divided into two parts and are called stage four A and B, respectively.
      The major differences between these two stages are the distances that the cancerous cells have traveled. With stage four A, it has become widespread throughout the chest cavity, including the lining of the lungs or the pericardium. Stage four B signifies that cancerous cells have traveled long distances to other primary organs such as the liver or the kidneys.

    Final Word

    • The Masaoka system continues to be evaluated for its effectiveness, and according to the Interactive Cardio Vascular and Thoracic Surgery Institute, "Despite the wide use of the Masaoka staging system for thymoma, the distribution of survival by stage group is not well balanced."

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