Biopsy of thymus

Jade1348
Jade1348 Member Posts: 1
edited March 2014 in Rare and Other Cancers #1
I am 56 and have an enlared thymus. My surgeon said that he wants to remove the thymus because the procedure would be the same for the biopsy meaning cutting the breast bone. Please I am so scared is there anyone out there who has had this surgery done? I have had a cat of my chest and thats how they found the enlargment. He didn't tell me to have any blood tests done or a pet scan. I don't understand why he wouldn't want a pet scan done? Dosn't that show cancer? Please if anyone can help please contact me. Vikki Jade1348@aol.com

Comments

  • MScharf
    MScharf Member Posts: 2
    #2
    My husband was diagnosed with malignant thymoma 10 years ago. It started with the thymus. He has been off and on treatments for all this time. He has had many different tests and treatments.
  • Tonky
    Tonky Member Posts: 3
    #3
    Vikki,

    I know it has been months since your post back in December. I was just browsing this site and found it tonight.

    My husband was diagnosed with malignant thymoma exactly 9 years ago. He had a median sternotomy (cutting the breast bone) in April of 1996 to remove the thymus gland, which was encapsulated to the size of a tennis ball, malignant, and metastized into much of the fatty tissue in his chest. I will not go into the particulars of the many treatments he has had, but his general health now is in reasonable condition considering all this, but we are in a clinical trial in Indianapolis, hoping that this treatment will halt the new tumor growth. We will know in a couple of weeks.

    I am sure that you have already made your treatment decision by now...I trust that you are doing well. There is a great thymic cancer site:
    www.thymic.org . Our group is small, but very knowledgeable and supportive. If you have been diagnosed with malignant thymoma, or just wish to join us, please feel free to do so. Our forum is on Yahoo! groups.

    Best of luck to you.

    Jane (Tonkyii)
  • deanvalentino
    deanvalentino Member Posts: 1
    #4
    I can tell you this my dad had his thymus removed about 10 years ago and had sum chemo treatments and did lived a normal life for 10 years. recently it has come back been a little tougher this time.
  • h3llo6
    h3llo6 Member Posts: 1
    #5
    Tonky said:

    Vikki,

    I know it has been months since your post back in December. I was just browsing this site and found it tonight.

    My husband was diagnosed with malignant thymoma exactly 9 years ago. He had a median sternotomy (cutting the breast bone) in April of 1996 to remove the thymus gland, which was encapsulated to the size of a tennis ball, malignant, and metastized into much of the fatty tissue in his chest. I will not go into the particulars of the many treatments he has had, but his general health now is in reasonable condition considering all this, but we are in a clinical trial in Indianapolis, hoping that this treatment will halt the new tumor growth. We will know in a couple of weeks.

    I am sure that you have already made your treatment decision by now...I trust that you are doing well. There is a great thymic cancer site:
    www.thymic.org . Our group is small, but very knowledgeable and supportive. If you have been diagnosed with malignant thymoma, or just wish to join us, please feel free to do so. Our forum is on Yahoo! groups.

    Best of luck to you.

    Jane (Tonkyii)

    Jane,
    I saw your posting on csn. I was diagnosed in 1998 with MG and when they went into get the tumor they found cancer. I have gone through many treatments over the years but I am still here kicking and screaming. I hope the same is for your husband. I go to Doctor's at Fox Chase Cancer Center but they did want to send me out to Indianapolis also. I have had 3 surgeries, 32 radiation once and 25 another and 9 cycles of chemo. I am back to work, working full time and taking care of my Dad with Alzehiemer's. It would be good to talk to someone from time to time who knows about this cancer. Everyone looks at you strange when you say what type you have. If you said you had breast cancer people would understand. I will be thinking of you and your husband. Regina Mattai
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #6
    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • OncoSurge
    OncoSurge Member Posts: 21
    #7
    deanvalentino said:

    I can tell you this my dad had his thymus removed about 10 years ago and had sum chemo treatments and did lived a normal life for 10 years. recently it has come back been a little tougher this time.

    I know this is an older
    I know this is an older posting.
    I just thought for those newly diagnosed, there are significant advances in minimally invasive surgery. Often, this will mean you don't have to have your sternum (breast bone) split/sawed open. Biopsies and/or thymectomy can be performed with "VATS" and robotic surgery.

    The new minimally invasive techniques have also been very useful for Myastenia Gravis patients.
  • Tatiana1
    Tatiana1 Member Posts: 3
    edited June 2018 #8
    Thymic carcinoma

    My husband who is 69 years old was diagnosed with Myasthenia gravis four months ago. We were on a ski trip and one night I noticed that he was holding up his chin with his hand to be able to eat. Thinking that the neck was damaged due to a fall, we went to the resort urgent care to find out that he has MG! Upon returning home and seeing doctors, tests, X-rays , the diagnosis was confirmed and shown an enlarged thymus. The doctors prescribed the MG medications and IVIG. The surgery was five and a half hours and the pathology report showed that it was thymic carcinoma stage three. There was almost a month of hospitalization due to the complications of the surgery before the chemo and radiation therapy started last week. He is diabetic type one so managing all of the side effects have been quite difficut. I would like to get a feedback if anyone else has experienced this kind of cancer. The treatment regimen is six weeks on daily radiation and once a week chemo. It has been overwhelming, shocking and very traumatic period for us. Both of us are professionals and have not been able to work since the diagnosis. There are crisis every day and night and don't know how long I can hold on to this unknown future. Will appreciate any advise to be able to keep going. I realize that it is a very rare cancer.

  • Tatiana1
    Tatiana1 Member Posts: 3
    edited July 2018 #9
    h3llo6 said:

    Jane,
    I saw your posting on csn. I was diagnosed in 1998 with MG and when they went into get the tumor they found cancer. I have gone through many treatments over the years but I am still here kicking and screaming. I hope the same is for your husband. I go to Doctor's at Fox Chase Cancer Center but they did want to send me out to Indianapolis also. I have had 3 surgeries, 32 radiation once and 25 another and 9 cycles of chemo. I am back to work, working full time and taking care of my Dad with Alzehiemer's. It would be good to talk to someone from time to time who knows about this cancer. Everyone looks at you strange when you say what type you have. If you said you had breast cancer people would understand. I will be thinking of you and your husband. Regina Mattai

    follow up question

    Regina it was a hopeful message that you posted. My husband has just started the chemo and radiation after the surgery.

    Will you please give us more infomation about the recurrences and follow ups?

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