Since there is a lot to know about treatment options, so we’ll take it step by step

There are five types of standard treatments used:

  • Surgery
  • Radiation therapy
  • Chemotherapy
  • Hormone therapy
  • Targeted therapy

There are also new treatments constantly being tested, usually drugs already used for other diseases that are in clinical trials for thymoma and Thymic carcinoma. Each trial has a set of qualifications that enrollees must have. Some trials require a certain type or stage of cancer. Others want patients who have already been unsuccessfully treated with standard methods. Others may want patients who are untreated. This is something you need to discuss with your medical team.

We will look at each of these treatment options in more detail the following pages.

While they may have some treatments in common, thymoma and Thymic carcinoma are two distinct cancers with their own protocols.

Treatment By Stage

There are standard protocols established for diagnosing and treating thymic tumors. These protocols are outlined in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network practice guidelines.

The NCCN guidelines are a great resource for doctors and patients alike. You can learn more about the guidelines un Patient Resources, or click HERE

The term Neoadjuvant chemotherapy used below, means the use of chemotherapy prior to surgery in an attempt to shrink a tumor to make it operable.

Stage I Thymoma

Surgery

Stage II Thymoma

Surgery, which may be followed by radiation therapy.

Stage III and Stage IV Thymoma

Tumors that may be completely removed by surgery

Surgery followed by radiation therapy.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery and radiation therapy.

 

Tumors that cannot be completely removed by surgery

Chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy followed by radiation therapy.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery (if operable) and radiation therapy.

Thymic Carcinoma

Thymic carcinoma that may be completely removed by surgery

Surgery followed by radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy.

Thymic carcinoma that cannot be completely removed by surgery

Chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy with radiation therapy.

Chemotherapy followed surgery, if the tumor may be completely removed, and radiation therapy.

Recurrent Thymoma and Thymic Carcinoma

Treatment of recurrent thymoma and thymic carcinoma

Chemotherapy

Hormone therapy (octreotide) with or without prednisone

Targeted therapy

Surgery

Radiation therapy.

A clinical trial of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy with pembrolizumab.

Other clinical trial as appropriate

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Surgery for Thymic Cancer