Question: What are the treatments for Thymoma and Thymic Carcinoma ?
Answer: Key Points - There are different types of treatment for patients with thymoma and thymic carcinoma. - Four types of standard treatment are used: - Surgery - Radiation therapy - Chemotherapy - Hormone therapy - New types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials. - Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial. - Patients can enter clinical trials before, during, or after starting their cancer treatment. - Follow-up tests may be needed. There are different types of treatment for patients with thymoma and thymic carcinoma. Different types of treatments are available for patients with thymoma and thymic carcinoma. Some treatments are standard (the currently used treatment), and some are being tested in clinical trials. A treatment clinical trial is a research study meant to help improve current treatments or obtain information on new treatments for patients with cancer. When clinical trials show that a new treatment is better than the standard treatment, the new treatment may become the standard treatment. Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial. Some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not started treatment. Four types of standard treatment are used: Surgery Surgery to remove the tumor is the most common treatment of thymoma. Even if the doctor removes all the cancer that can be seen at the time of the surgery, some patients may be given radiation therapy after surgery to kill any cancer cells that are left. Treatment given after the surgery, to lower the risk that the cancer will come back, is called adjuvant therapy. Radiation therapy Radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that uses high-energy x-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing. There are two types of radiation therapy: - External radiation therapy uses a machine outside the body to send radiation toward the cancer. - Internal radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance sealed in needles, seeds, wires, or catheters that are placed directly into or near the cancer. The way the radiation therapy is given depends on the type and stage of the cancer being treated. External radiation therapy is used to treat thymoma and thymic carcinoma. Chemotherapy Chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. When chemotherapy is taken by mouth or injected into a vein or muscle, the drugs enter the bloodstream and can reach cancer cells throughout the body (systemic chemotherapy). When chemotherapy is placed directly into the cerebrospinal fluid, an organ, or a body cavity such as the abdomen, the drugs mainly affect cancer cells in those areas (regional chemotherapy). The way the chemotherapy is given depends on the type and stage of the cancer being treated. Chemotherapy may be used to shrink the tumor before surgery or radiation therapy. This is called neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Hormone therapy Hormone therapy is a cancer treatment that removes hormones or blocks their action and stops cancer cells from growing. Hormones are substances produced by glands in the body and circulated in the bloodstream. Some hormones can cause certain cancers to grow. If tests show that the cancer cells have places where hormones can attach (receptors), drugs, surgery, or radiation therapy is used to reduce the production of hormones or block them from working. Hormone therapy with drugs called corticosteroids may be used to treat thymoma or thymic carcinoma. New types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials. This summary section describes treatments that are being studied in clinical trials. It may not mention every new treatment being studied. Information about clinical trials is available from the NCI website. Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial. For some patients, taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice. Clinical trials are part of the cancer research process. Clinical trials are done to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment. Many of today's standard treatments for cancer are based on earlier clinical trials. Patients who take part in a clinical trial may receive the standard treatment or be among the first to receive a new treatment. Patients who take part in clinical trials also help improve the way cancer will be treated in the future. Even when clinical trials do not lead to effective new treatments, they often answer important questions and help move research forward. Patients can enter clinical trials before, during, or after starting their cancer treatment. Some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment. Other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better. There are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop cancer from recurring (coming back) or reduce the side effects of cancer treatment. Clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country. See the Treatment Options section that follows for links to current treatment clinical trials. These have been retrieved from NCI's listing of clinical trials. Follow-up tests may be needed. Some of the tests that were done to diagnose the cancer or to find out the stage of the cancer may be repeated. Some tests will be repeated in order to see how well the treatment is working. Decisions about whether to continue, change, or stop treatment may be based on the results of these tests. Some of the tests will continue to be done from time to time after treatment has ended. The results of these tests can show if your condition has changed or if the cancer has recurred (come back). These tests are sometimes called follow-up tests or check-ups. Treatment Options for Thymoma and Thymic Carcinoma Stage I and Stage II Thymoma Treatment of stage I thymoma is surgery. Treatment of stage II thymoma is surgery followed by radiation therapy. Check the list of NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with stage I thymoma and stage II thymoma. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. Talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI website. Stage III and Stage IV Thymoma Treatment of stage III and stage IV thymoma that may be completely removed by surgery includes the following: - Surgery with or without radiation therapy. - Neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery with or without radiation therapy. - A clinical trial of anticancer drugs in new combinations or doses. - A clinical trial of new ways of giving radiation therapy. Treatment of stage III and stage IV thymoma that cannot be completely removed by surgery includes the following: - Neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery and/or radiation therapy. - Radiation therapy. - Chemotherapy. - A clinical trial of anticancer drugs in new combinations or doses. - A clinical trial of new ways of giving radiation therapy. Check the list of NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with stage III thymoma and stage IV thymoma. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. Talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI website. Thymic Carcinoma Treatment of thymic carcinoma that may be completely removed by surgery includes the following: - Surgery with or without radiation therapy. - A clinical trial of anticancer drugs in new combinations or doses. - A clinical trial of new ways of giving radiation therapy. Treatment of thymic carcinoma that cannot be completely removed by surgery includes the following: - Radiation therapy. - Chemotherapy with or without surgery to remove part of the tumor and/or radiation therapy. - Chemotherapy with radiation therapy. - Chemotherapy. - A clinical trial of anticancer drugs in new combinations or doses. - A clinical trial of new ways of giving radiation therapy. Check the list of NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with thymic carcinoma. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. Talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI website. Recurrent Thymoma and Thymic Carcinoma Treatment of recurrent thymoma and thymic carcinoma may include the following: - Surgery with or without radiation therapy. - Radiation therapy. - Hormone therapy. - Chemotherapy. - A clinical trial of anticancer drugs in new combinations or doses. - A clinical trial of new ways of giving radiation therapy. Check the list of NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with recurrent thymoma and thymic carcinoma. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. Talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI website.