Health

Study reveals unexpected importance of the thymus in adults

The thymus gland—which produces immune T cells before birth and during childhood— is often regarded as nonfunctional in adults, and it's sometimes removed during cardiac surgery for easier access to the heart and major ...

Medical research

Aging immune system may explain age-related cancer risk increase

Study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests aging immune system plays a larger role in cancer incidence than previously thought. Findings may explain higher likelihood of men developing cancer ...

Genetics

Scientists map genes controlling immune system 'brakes'

Unlike most T cells, which launch immune responses against foreign molecules, regulatory T cells are the peacekeepers of the human immune system, damping down inflammatory reactions when they're not needed. Now, researchers ...

Surgery

Recurrence of thymic tumors caused by heat-shock proteins

In most cases, tumors of the thymus gland are removed by surgical resection. However, they recur after a few years in up to one third of patients. A research team headed up by thoracic surgeon Bernhard Moser of the Thoracic ...

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