It's thymus to fight cancer

Small organ proven crucial in overcoming disease

- DR JOSEPH MERCOLA

THE thymus organ plays a crucial role in the prevention of cancer - but what is it?

It is a thyme leaf-shaped double-lobed organ located in the centre of your chest, directly beneath your breastbone at the level of your heart and it is part of your lymphatic system.

The primary function of the thymus is to aid in the maturation process of T cells, which are in charge of determining your immune response to antigens.

Immature T cells produced by the bone marrow first migrate into the cortex of the thymus. Once there, they begin to mature into functional T cells, which are your body's first line of defence against foreign invaders such as viruses.

As explained by Dr J.E. Williams in an article detailing the roles of your thymus, T cells are involved in all aspects of immunity, including viral infections, allergies, vaccination responses and tissue repair.

Your thymus is also crucial for the prevention of cancer, which makes sense considering your immune system is the first line of defence not only for viral infections, but also cancer.

Recent research by scientists at Harvard and Massachusetts General Hospital bears this out, showing that patients who underwent thymectomy (surgical removal of the thymus) had a twofold higher risk of cancer five years post-surgery, and a nearly threefold higher risk of dying from any cause.

According to Dr David Scadden, who led the investigation, the magnitude of the cancer risk post-thymectomy was entirely unexpected. "The primary reason why the thymus has an impact on overall health seems to be as a way to protect against the development of cancer," he told The Harvard Gazette.