Thymoma is a neoplasm of the thymus. The thymus is a small organ that is part of the lymphatic system and is located in the chest, behind the breastbone.  It makes white blood cells called lymphocytes, which travel through your body and fight infection. It is usually diagnosed between the ages of 40 to 60.

Causes:

• enlarged thymus on the windpipe (trachea) or blood vessels, 

• paraneoplastic syndromes - hypogammaglobulinemia (having abnormally low levels of antibodies).

• myasthenia gravis (a muscular disorder),

• hypogammaglobulinemia (having abnormally low levels of antibodies).

Symptoms:

• shortness of breath 
• swelling of the face 
• coughing 
• chest pain 
• muscle weakness (especially in the eyes, neck, and chest, causing problems with vision, swallowing, and breathing) 
• weakness 
• dizziness 
• shortness of breath 
• fatigue

Treatments:

1. Radiofrequency ablation, an advanced, minimally invasive procedure that uses a heat-generating, electrode-tipped catheter to destroy tumor cells.   
2. Photodynamic therapy program with laser for removing obstructing lesions.   
3. Intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) that allows doctors to deliver a high dose of radiation to the tumor site while a patient is still in the operating room during surgery. One-time IORT is more convenient than traditional radiotherapy and reduces the exposure of healthy tissues to radiation.  
4. Intensity modulated radiation (IMRT) that reduces the dose of radiation received by healthy tissue, and can allow doctors to deliver radiation to difficult-to-reach areas.  
5. Brachytherapy -- the placement of radioactive materials at the tumor site to deliver more targeted radiation therapy and make treatment more convenient.  
6. Bronchial stenting that opens up airways and makes breathing easier.