Thymus: Immune Health's Best-Kept Secret

Despite the thymus being relatively unknown to many and often deemed expendable by doctors in adults, Harvard-led research unveils its pivotal role in ageing immune health and cancer prevention. The study comparing thymus-removal patients with those retaining it found a nearly threefold higher risk of death in the former, including double the cancer risk and a minor uptick in autoimmune diseases. The thymus produces T-cells, essential for fighting off infections and diseases, and maintaining the diversity of the T-cell population, making it a vital organ for our overall health. Thymus removal patients faced elevated death rates, reduced T-cell production, and increased pro-inflammatory cytokines associated with autoimmunity and cancer.