Clinical features

There are no specific history or physical examination findings that allow an unequivocal diagnosis of a thymic tumour to be made - about one third of patients with thymoma are asymptomatic, and the diagnosis is often incidental. (1)

• the mean age of patients with thymomas is 50 years; rare in children where they are associated with a poor prognosis
• males and females equally affected
• radiographic mass - most common in anterosuperior mediastinum
• variable clinical presentation dependent upon the aggressiveness of the lesion. Basic patterns include:
  • asymptomatic
  • features attributable to local pressure effects e.g. cough, dyspnoea, dysphagia and superior venal cava obstruction
  • associated systemic disorders (see associated conditions)

Note - about 40% of patients with thymoma have associated myasthenia gravis. (2)

Reference

1. Girard N, Ruffini E, Marx A, et al. Thymic epithelial tumours: ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. Ann Oncol. 2015;26(suppl 5):v40-v55.
2. Detterbeck FC, Parsons AM. Thymic tumors. Ann Thorac Surg. 2004 May;77(5):1860-9.