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thymoma treatment
Like all cancers, thymoma treatment is most successful when the patient has an experienced care team. Only a few hundred thymoma cases are diagnosed each year, and many doctors will only see a handful of cases in their careers.
Thymoma treatment protocol
While each cancer is unique, thymomas smaller than 4 cm are usually removed surgically. In this process, the entire thymus gland is removed.
Patients with larger tumors usually receive chemotherapy before surgery. This is to shrink the tumor and increase the chances of successful surgery.
If the tumor has fled the original site of disease, the patient can receive anti-cancer drugs such as radiation and chemotherapy. Surgery can still be performed at the primary site and where the disease has spread. Some procedures may help relieve symptoms and improve patient outcomes. They are done in combination with radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
Thymic cancer, or thymoma C, is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage. Patients are treated with chemotherapy, radiation and possibly surgery.
Thymoma surgery
Surgery for a thymoma usually involves removing the entire thymus. This procedure is called thymotomy.
For small tumors, thymotomy (removal of the entire thymus) is usually performed by a surgical robot. This is minimally invasive surgery. It requires the surgeon to make three or four small incisions under and on the side of the patient's breast. Patients undergoing minimally invasive surgery have less pain and faster recovery times compared to more traditional procedures. They also had shorter hospital stays and were usually discharged the day after surgery.
Larger tumors usually require a sternotomy. During this procedure, the surgeon opens the middle of the chest by cutting through the sternum. Patients undergoing a sternotomy usually stay in the hospital for several days. Recovery could take weeks.
Chemotherapy of thymoma
Chemotherapy kills fast-growing cells, including cancer cells. Patients with thymoma may receive chemotherapy before surgery. This can help shrink the tumor and improve the chances of successful surgery. If surgery is not possible, patients may receive a combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Radiation therapy for thymoma
Radiation therapy uses powerful beams of energy to kill cancer cells. If radiotherapy is needed, it is usually done after the patient's surgery. If surgery is not possible, patients are usually treated with radiation and chemotherapy. Patients can receive different types of radiation therapy to treat the thymoma. These measures include:
Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) : IMRT is tailored to the specific shape of the tumor. This type of radiation is often used to treat cancer that has invaded nearby lymph nodes.
Volume modulated arc therapy (VMAT) : VMAT is a type of intensity modulated radiotherapy. In VMAT, the part of the machine that emits the radiation beam rotates in an arc around the patient. This allows for more precise irradiation of the tumor and shorter surgical time.
Proton therapy for thymoma
Proton therapy is a special type of radiation therapy that can target tumors more accurately than standard radiation therapy.
Proton therapy uses protons, which are positively charged particles found in atomic nuclei. The proton beam enters the body with a low dose of radiation, called the "entrance dose." As it approaches the target area, the dose increases and deposits its maximum radiation directly into the tumor before stopping. There is no "exit dose" outside the tumor. This means that tumors can be located more precisely, often within a millimeter, and allows for more powerful radiation doses to be delivered.