Whenever possible, surgery is the favored treatment for thymus cancers. If you have thymus cancer, one of the first things your doctor will do is to try to determine whether or not the cancer is completely resectable (removable) with surgery.

Surgery is used to remove the original tumor and some of the surrounding tissue if it has spread there. In most cases the surgery is done through a median sternotomy, an incision down the middle of the chest that splits the sternum (breast bone), permitting thorough removal of the thymus and tumor.

Total resection of the thymus (called a thymectomy) with complete removal of the thymoma is possible in nearly all patients with stage I and II thymomas, and for some stage III thymomas.

Because stage II or III thymomas may have grown into nearby structures, the surgeon may also need to remove parts of the pleura, pericardium, nerves, segments of the superior vena cava (a large vein leading to the heart), or even parts of or an entire lung.

Some doctors may advise surgery even if the tumor is not completely resectable, as is the case with many stage III thymomas and with most stage IV thymomas. In these cases, the doctor might remove as much tumor as possible and then recommend further treatment with radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy. But not all doctors agree that surgery helps people live longer in these situations. In some cases, chemotherapy or radiation therapy may be tried first to shrink the tumor and make it more treatable with surgery.

Possible side effects of surgery

Possible complications depend on the extent of the surgery and a person's health beforehand. Serious complications can include excessive bleeding, wound infections, and pneumonia.

You will need to stay in the hospital for several days after the surgery. Because the surgeon usually has to open the chest for the operation, the incision will hurt for some time after surgery. Your activity will be limited for at least a month or two.

Some people may need to have part or all of a lung removed. If your lungs are in good condition (other than the presence of the cancer) you can usually return to normal activities after a lobe or even an entire lung has been removed. If you also have non-cancerous diseases such as emphysema or chronic bronchitis (which are common among heavy smokers), you may become short of breath with activities after surgery.

For more general information about surgery, please see the separate American Cancer Society document, Surgery.

Last Medical Review: 05/18/2009
Last Revised: 05/18/2009