If shortness of breath happens after exercise activities note if you have a wheezing (high-pitched whistling sound) noise when breathing. This can be asthma. [3] X Research source
If you have acid reflux from spicy, fatty, or acidic foods, it can lead to a chronic cough. If altering your diet reduces the cough, then it isn’t likely a thymoma. [5] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source If you live in or have traveled to an area with tuberculosis (TB) and have experienced a chronic cough, bloody sputum (blood mucus coughed up), night sweats, and a fever, then you may have TB for which you should still see a doctor immediately.
If you feel pressure-like chest pain and have sweating, palpitations (feel like your heart is jumping out of your chest), fever, or chest pain when moving or breathing, then you may have an underlying lung or heart disease. [9] X Research source Regardless of the root cause, you should see a doctor for these symptoms.
If you experience unintentional weight loss without any known reason, check with your healthcare provider. Many cancers have weight loss as a symptom.
Swelling of the face, neck, and upper body. Note if the upper part of your body looks more red or flushed. Dilated veins in the upper body. Look at the veins in your arms, hands, and wrist to see if they look more prominent or dilated. These are usually the dark lines or tunnels we see on the hands and arms. Headaches due to dilated veins supplying the brain. Dizziness/light headedness. Because blood is backed up, the heart and brain receive less oxygenated blood. When your heart pumps less blood to the brain or when your brain doesn’t receive enough oxygenated blood, you feel light headed or dizzy and may fall. Laying down helps remove the force of gravity your blood has to fight to supply your brain. [13] X Trustworthy Source American Cancer Society Nonprofit devoted to promoting cancer research, education, and support Go to source
Double or blurred vision Drooping eyelids Trouble swallowing food Shortness of breath due to weakness in the chest muscles and/or diaphragm Slurred speech
Shortness of breath Fatigue Dizziness Weakness
Recurrent infections Bronchiectasis, which includes symptoms such as a chronic cough, large amounts of spit that may contain foul-smelling mucus, shortness of breath and wheezing, chest pain, and clubbing (the flesh under your fingernails and toenails gets thicker). [19] X Trustworthy Source National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Research and education center within the National Institutes of Health Go to source [20] X Trustworthy Source American Lung Association Nonprofit health organization dedicated to improving lung health through education, advocacy, and research Go to source Chronic diarrhea[21] X Research source Qu J. et al. Good Syndrome, a Rare Cause of Refractory Chronic Diarrhea and Recurrent Pneumonia in a Chinese Patient after Thymectomy. Clinical & Vaccine Immunology. July 2013 vol. 20 no. 7 1097-1098. Mucocutaneous candidiasis, which is a fungal infection that can cause thrush (an oral infection causing white patches or milk curd-looking growths on the tongue). [22] X Research source Kelleher P, Misbah SA. What is Good’s syndrome? Immunological abnormalities in patients with thymoma. Journal of Clinical Pathology. 2003;56:12-16 Viral infections, including the herpes simplex virus, cytomegalovirus, varicella zoster (shingles), and human herpes 8 (kaposi’s sarcoma), which is an underlying skin cancer usually associated with AIDS. [23] X Research source Kelleher P, Misbah SA. What is Good’s syndrome? Immunological abnormalities in patients with thymoma. Journal of Clinical Pathology. 2003;56:12-16
Before operating to remove the thymoma, your doctor will also treat the MG because if left untreated, it can cause problems with anesthesia during surgery, such as respiratory failure. [28] X Research source Abel M, Eisenkraft J. Anesthetic Implications of Myasthenia Gravis. The Mount Sinai Journal of Medicine. January/March 2002. Vol. 69. Nos. 1 & 2.
If contrast was given, you may be advised to drink plenty of fluids to flush it out. [32] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source
MRIs are very loud and some are closed meaning that you will be inserted lying down in a large cylindrical space. This can give the sensation of claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces) to some people. The test may take up to an hour to complete. [34] X Trustworthy Source American Cancer Society Nonprofit devoted to promoting cancer research, education, and support Go to source If you were given contrast, you may be advised to drink plenty of fluids to flush it out. [35] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source
Doctors use combined PET/CT scans more often than PET scans alone when looking at thymomas. This lets the doctor compare areas of higher radioactivity on the PET scan with the more detailed images on the CT scan. [37] X Trustworthy Source American Cancer Society Nonprofit devoted to promoting cancer research, education, and support Go to source You will be given either an oral preparation or injection of the radioactive glucose. You will wait thirty to sixty minutes for your body to absorb the material. You’ll need to drink plenty of fluids after to help flush the tracer from your body. [38] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source The scan will take approximately thirty minutes. [39] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source
If you are taking blood thinners (coumadin/warfarin), your doctor may ask you to stop days before the exam and not to eat or drink the day of the procedure. If they decide to use general anesthesia or IV sedation, you may be asked to fast the day before the procedure as well. [41] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source A possible downside of this test is that it might not always get enough of a sample to make an accurate diagnosis or allow the doctor to get a good sense of the extent of the tumor. [42] X Trustworthy Source American Cancer Society Nonprofit devoted to promoting cancer research, education, and support Go to source
The exam preparation (fasting, etc. ) is similar to that of a needle biopsy, except an incision will be made in the skin to gain access to the tumor to remove it.
Stage I is an encapsulated tumor without microscopic or gross invasion. Surgical excision is the treatment of choice Stage II is a thymoma with a macroscopic invasion of the mediastinal fat or pleura or the microscopic invasion of the capsule. Treatment is usually a complete excision with or without postoperative radiation therapy in order to reduce the incidence of recurrence. Stage III is when the tumor has invaded the lungs, great vessels, and the pericardium. Complete surgical excision is necessary together with postoperative radiation therapy so that recurrence will not occur. Stage IVA and IV B In these final stages, there is pleural or metastatic spread. The treatment is a combination of surgical debulking, radiation, and chemotherapy.
