Noninvasive Thymoma and Thymic Carcinoma
Invasive Thymoma and Thymic Carcinoma
Recurrent Thymoma and Thymic Carcinoma

A link to a list of current clinical trials is included for each treatment section. For some types or stages of cancer, there may not be any trials listed. Check with your doctor for clinical trials that are not listed here but may be right for you.

Treatment of noninvasive thymoma and thymic carcinoma may include the following:

• Surgery to remove the tumor.
• Radiation therapy.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with noninvasive thymoma and thymic carcinoma ¹.

Treatment of invasive thymoma and thymic carcinoma that may be completely removed by surgery includes the following:

• Surgery followed by radiation therapy.
• A clinical trial of other new treatments.

Treatment of invasive thymoma and thymic carcinoma that cannot be removed completely by surgery includes the following:

• Surgery to remove part of the tumor, followed by radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy.
• A clinical trial of chemotherapy using one or more anticancer drugs.
• A clinical trial of chemotherapy before surgery, with or without radiation therapy.
• A clinical trial of combination chemotherapy followed by radiation therapy.
• A clinical trial of other new treatments.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with invasive thymoma and thymic carcinoma ².

Treatment of recurrent thymoma and thymic carcinoma may include the following:

• Surgery with or without radiation therapy.
• Radiation therapy.
• Hormone therapy.
• A clinical trial of chemotherapy using one or more anticancer drugs.
• A clinical trial of other new treatments.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with recurrent thymoma and thymic carcinoma ³.

Glossary Terms

Cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs.

Treatment with drugs that kill cancer cells.

A type of research study that tests how well new medical approaches work in people. These studies test new methods of screening, prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of a disease. Also called a clinical study.

Treatment using more than one anticancer drug.

Any substance, other than food, that is used to prevent, diagnose, treat or relieve symptoms of a disease or abnormal condition. Also refers to a substance that alters mood or body function, or that can be habit-forming or addictive, especially a narcotic.

Treatment that adds, blocks, or removes hormones. For certain conditions (such as diabetes or menopause), hormones are given to adjust low hormone levels. To slow or stop the growth of certain cancers (such as prostate and breast cancer), synthetic hormones or other drugs may be given to block the body’s natural hormones. Sometimes surgery is needed to remove the gland that makes a certain hormone. Also called hormonal therapy, hormone treatment, or endocrine therapy.

Cancer that has spread beyond the layer of tissue in which it developed and is growing into surrounding, healthy tissues. Also called infiltrating cancer.

In medicine, it describes a procedure that does not require inserting an instrument through the skin or into a body opening. In cancer, it describes disease that has not spread outside the tissue in which it began.

The use of high-energy radiation from x-rays, gamma rays, neutrons, protons, and other sources to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation may come from a machine outside the body (external-beam radiation therapy), or it may come from radioactive material placed in the body near cancer cells (internal radiation therapy). Systemic radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance, such as a radiolabeled monoclonal antibody, that travels in the blood to tissues throughout the body. Also called radiotherapy and irradiation.

Cancer that has recurred (come back), usually after a period of time during which the cancer could not be detected. The cancer may come back to the same place as the original (primary) tumor or to another place in the body. Also called recurrence.

The extent of a cancer in the body. Staging is usually based on the size of the tumor, whether lymph nodes contain cancer, and whether the cancer has spread from the original site to other parts of the body.

A procedure to remove or repair a part of the body or to find out whether disease is present. An operation.

A tumor of the thymus, an organ that is part of the lymphatic system and is located in the chest, behind the breastbone.

An organ that is part of the lymphatic system, in which T lymphocytes grow and multiply. The thymus is in the chest behind the breastbone.

An abnormal mass of tissue that results when cells divide more than they should or do not die when they should. Tumors may be benign (not cancerous), or malignant (cancerous). Also called neoplasm.