Non-cancerous tumours of the thymus
A non-cancerous (benign) tumour of the thymus is a growth that does not spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body. Non-cancerous tumours are not usually life-threatening. They may be removed with surgery and do not usually come back (recur). Non-cancerous tumours of the thymus are rare.
The following are non-cancerous tumours of the thymus.
Thymic cyst
A thymic cyst is a sac filled with fluid that is within the thymus or made up of
thymic tissue. It is found in the
A thymic cyst can be congenital or acquired:
- Congenital thymic cysts are present at birth. There is usually only a single, fluid-filled space within the cyst.
- Acquired thymic cysts can develop along with thymomas or other tumours of the thymus. They can also develop after a chest operation, or after radiation therapy for Hodgkin lymphoma. Most acquired thymic cysts contain many small, fluid-filled spaces.
Thymic cysts don’t usually cause any symptoms. They are often found when an imaging test is done for other health reasons.
Surgery may be used to remove a thymic cyst. It is usually done when a person also has a cancer such as thymoma or lymphoma.
Thymolipoma
A thymolipoma is a tumour found in the front (anterior) of the mediastinum. It is made up of fat and thymus tissue. It tends to grow slowly, but can become very large.
Most thymolipomas don’t cause any symptoms. They are usually found when an imaging test is done for other health reasons. If a thymolipoma grows very large, it may cause coughing, trouble breathing and chest pain.
Surgery may be done to remove a thymolipoma.
Thymic hyperplasia
Thymic hyperplasia is an abnormal growth and enlargement of the thymus. It’s often grouped with other non-cancerous tumours of the thymus, but it is not an actual tumour.
People who develop thymic hyperplasia often have myasthenia gravis or another
Thymic hyperplasia may be removed with surgery to help control myasthenia gravis symptoms.
Your trusted source for accurate cancer information
With support from readers like you, we can continue to provide the highest quality cancer information for over 100 types of cancer.
We’re here to ensure easy access to accurate cancer information for you and the millions of people who visit this website every year. But we can’t do it alone.
Every donation helps fund reliable cancer information, compassionate support services and the most promising research. Please give today because every contribution counts. Thank you.