2023-08-04 02:02:31
Study finds removal of thymus gland during heart surgery increases risk of cancer and premature death
A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has refuted previous beliefs about the thymus gland. Previously considered largely superfluous in adults, a new study reveals that removing this immune organ, such as during heart surgery, has significant health effects. Those who have had their thymus gland removed are more likely to develop cancer, with a risk of premature death 2.9 times higher than those with an intact thymus gland. The study also found that an intact thymus gland may reduce the risk of autoimmune diseases.
The thymus gland, also known as the thymus, is located behind the breastbone and plays a crucial role in the adaptive immune system, particularly during childhood. It is responsible for preparing immature T cell precursors produced in the bone marrow for future tasks by helping them mature and differentiate into various types of T defense cells. During this phase, the immune cells learn to distinguish the body’s own cell characteristics from foreign ones.
Conventional wisdom previously held that the thymus gland becomes non-functional after puberty and gradually turns into fatty tissue over the course of life. In adults, it was often considered non-essential and occasionally removed during cardiac surgery to gain better access to the heart and large blood vessels.
To investigate whether the thymus gland is truly superfluous in adults and can be removed without consequences, researchers conducted a long-term study. They measured the risk of cancer, autoimmune diseases, and death over several years in 1,146 patients who had their thymus gland removed for heart surgery and compared them to 1,146 controls who had similar characteristics, diseases, and surgeries but retained their thymus gland.
Contrary to previous assumptions, the study found that the removal of the thymus gland does have an impact on health, even in adults. Patients without a thymus gland had at least twice the risk of dying or developing cancer compared to those with an intact thymus. The risk of developing an autoimmune disease was also 1.5 times higher for those without a thymus gland.
After five years of the study, 8.1 percent of patients without a thymus gland had died, compared to only 2.8 percent of the control group with an intact thymus gland. Similarly, 7.4 percent of patients without a thymus developed cancer, while only 3.7 percent in the control group developed cancer.
Further analysis revealed that patients without a thymus gland produced almost three times fewer new CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes, which are important subtypes of T cells responsible for fighting infections, tumors, and activating other immune cells.
The findings of this study highlight the importance of the thymus gland in adults and suggest that it plays a crucial role in the immune system and long-term health. The researchers recommend further exploration of the residual activity in the thymus gland, even after it has turned into fatty tissue. They advise careful consideration before removing the thymus gland during surgery.
The research team is now planning to investigate how the activity of the thymus differs in adults and how this affects health. They intend to test the relative fitness of the thymus and determine whether its level of activity is associated with better health.]
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