Recurrent thymoma and thymic carcinoma is cancer that has recurred (come back) after it has been treated. The cancer may come back in the thymus or in other parts of the body. Thymic carcinomas commonly recur. Thymomas may recur after a long time. There is also an increased risk of having another type of cancer after having a thymoma. For these reasons, lifelong follow-up is needed.1
Treatment of recurrent thymoma and thymic carcinoma may include the following:
- Surgery with or without radiation therapy.
- Radiation therapy.
- Hormone therapy.
- A clinical trial of chemotherapy using one or more anticancer drugs.
- A clinical trial of other new treatments.
1 Note: The text and images above are in the public domain and were reproduced or adapted from the websites of the National Cancer Institute (NCI): http://www.cancer.gov/ and http://visualsonline.cancer.gov/.