Thymus Gland: Cancer, Longevity & Adult Health – New Research
Researchers at Mass General Brigham in Boston have discovered a potential link between the health of the thymus gland and both longevity and the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapy. The findings, published March 18 in two studies in the journal Nature, challenge the long-held belief that the thymus, crucial for immune system development in childhood, becomes largely irrelevant in adulthood.
Using artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze routine CT scans from over 27,000 adults, the research team found that individuals with healthier thymuses tended to live longer and exhibited a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer, according to a press release from Mass General Brigham. The AI model assessed the size and composition of the thymus to generate a “thymic health score” for each patient.
In a separate study focusing on over 3,400 cancer patients, thymic health was a strong predictor of response to immunotherapy and overall survival, even when accounting for standard tumor biomarkers. Patients with stronger thymic health demonstrated approximately a 37% lower risk of cancer progression and a 44% lower risk of death, the research indicated.
“The thymus has been overlooked for decades and may be a missing piece in explaining why people age differently and why cancer treatments fail in some patients,” said Hugo Aerts, PhD, director of the Artificial Intelligence in Medicine (AIM) Program at Mass General Brigham, in a statement. “Our findings suggest thymic health deserves much more attention and may open new avenues for understanding how to protect the immune system as we age.”
The thymus functions as a training ground for T-cells, which are vital components of the immune system responsible for identifying and eliminating infections and cancerous cells. While the organ naturally shrinks with age – a process researchers termed “thymic decay” – the rate and characteristics of this decline varied significantly among individuals. The research suggests that the degree of thymic decay may be a key indicator of overall health, and resilience.
The studies utilized data from the National Lung Screening Trial and participants in the ongoing Framingham Heart Study. Researchers are now exploring whether interventions to preserve or restore thymic function could improve health outcomes and enhance the effectiveness of cancer treatments. Further research is planned to investigate the underlying mechanisms linking thymic health to longevity and disease resistance.