ORIE
116 post s
8-Jul-2008
1:25 PM
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How old is too old for a thymectomy to help control or do away with MG? I have read not after 50 and before 60. I have also read the longer you have had MG the less effective a thymectomy is after the age of 50.
orie
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chairman
MGA Chairman
784 post s
8-Jul-2008
1:37 PM
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Orie It would be nice if there were a simple clear answer to this question - unfortunately there is not. My bet would be that for every 10 neurologists taken at random, you would get 3 or 4 different answers - and some of them would be completely opposed! The truth is that, despite it being 70 or 80 years since the first thymectomies were done for MG, there is still a lot to be learned about the role of the Thymus gland in MG (and some other auto-immune diseases). If there is any consensus at all it is probably that thymectomy is likely to be less effective in older patients (say after 30). BUT please note my remarks above - I would not have much trouble finding a neurologist who does the op on all ages and sexes.
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 Peter Finney
MGA Chairman
Last Edited on 8-Jul-2008 1:39 PM
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sally1louiselouise
583 post s
9-Jul-2008
1:18 AM
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I was 52 years old when I had my thymectomy, about 8 weeks after diagnosis and 3 weeks after a major crisis. Looking back now with hindsight I had probably been suffering with MG for maybe 7 or 8 or more years before this (5years in trying to get a diagnosis). I have been asymptomatic of the MG with medication since the thymectomy which I had in August 2005. This is only my experience, we are all unique and respond differently to medication and surgery, so I suppose there is no definite answer to this question.
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South Wales
UK
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SharonT
20 post s
10-Jul-2008
6:51 AM
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Is thymectomy performed on people who are sero-negative?
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chairman
MGA Chairman
785 post s
10-Jul-2008
12:37 PM
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As far as I am aware - no.
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Peter Finney
MGA Chairman
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arice85
55 post s
11-Jul-2008
7:02 AM
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There is also a school of thought that the surgery has no effect on the cource of the disorder.
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kathylee
10 post s
23-Jul-2008
5:09 PM
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Mayo Clinic Minnesota is running a clinical trial I think on this. Since I am only 3 hours from there and they talk of it as a minimally invasive version it is something I am going to ask about. I am 57. Kathylee
I WANT TO SING AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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chairman
MGA Chairman
797 post s
24-Jul-2008
4:31 AM
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The trial you mention is part of an International trial into the effectiveness of Thymectomy. The conditions for entering the trial are quite stringent, and even if you are accepted where would be 50/50 chance you would not have a thymectomy. The trial is designed to compare the effectiveness of steroids with the effectiveness of steroids+thymectomy. There are over 80 centres participating world-wide. The reason for the large number of centres is that is difficult to find patients who are suitable for the trial, and who also are willing to accept that they may be one of the 50% who will be on steroids alone.
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Peter Finney
MGA Chairman
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