TriangleFOR PATIENTS · SOURCE READING
Chemotherapy
Source: Childhood Thymoma and Thymic Carcinoma, National Cancer Institute.
Source updated: Not stated in this source · Captured 2026-09-09.
Selected source text with whitespace normalised. This Triangle page is not an NCI PDQ summary. Independent clinical review is pending.
Context: Types of treatment for childhood thymoma and thymic carcinoma
Chemotherapy (also called chemo) uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells. Chemotherapy either kills cancer cells or stops them from dividing. Chemotherapy may be given alone or with other types of treatment.
For thymoma and thymic carcinoma, chemotherapy is injected into a vein. When given this way, the drugs enter the bloodstream and can reach cancer cells throughout the body.
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Chemotherapy drugs used alone or in combination to treat thymoma and thymic carcinoma include:
cisplatin
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cyclophosphamide
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doxorubicin
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etoposide
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ifosfamide
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vincristine
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Other chemotherapy drugs not listed here may also be used.
To learn more about how chemotherapy works, how it is given, common side effects, and more, see Chemotherapy to Treat Cancer.
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Preserved source evidence · Independent clinical review pending · Not medical advice