I want to extend a warm welcome to you as a potential client of The Moss Report on Cancer of the Thyroid or Thymus Gland. For over 35 years, it has been my mission to educate and empower patients, including many with cancer of these glands. I would be honored to be part of your healing journey.

There are four kinds of thyroid cancer. The most common by far is papillary and/or mixed papillary/follicular. These represent about 78 percent of all thyroid cancers. Next comes follicular and/or Hurthle cell, which represents an additional 78 percent. In addition, there are medullary (4 percent) and anaplastic (1 percent of incidence). Just as most thyroid lesions are benign, most thyroid cancers are curable using conventional methods. We of course also deal with those situations in which conventional methods are not working.

Thymus cancer, or thymoma, it is tumor of the thymus gland, an organ that is part of the lymphatic system and is located behind the breastbone. Thymomas are generally composed of a mixture of epithelial cells and lymphocytes, these often T-cells. The malignant, or cancerous, component is represented by the epithelial cells. Thymomas are further subclassified as types A, AB, B1, B2, B3 and C. Only type C is technically speaking a carcinoma. It is more aggressive than the other types.

This Moss Report includes a discussion of these main varieties, as classified by the World Health Organization (WHO, 1999) and other agencies. These are generally classified by (a) cellular origin and (b) how those cells behave—ranging from the least aggressive to the most malignant. The classification and grade of a tumor may be used to predict its likely behavior. In cancer of the thyroid or thymus, this is based on the microscopic appearance of the tumor tissue as derived from a biopsy sample.

Over the years, my thinking about the overall category of cancer of the thyroid or thymus has evolved considerably. I would like to share with you some of the core beliefs I have developed about these types of cancer and the recovery process.

In the Moss Report on Cancer of the Thyroid and Thymus we fully deal with the conventional treatments of this disease category. What are these? They mainly consist of surgery, various types of radiation (including external beam, brachytherapy or radioactive seeds, and proton beam therapy), as well as various types of chemotherapy and ‘targeted’ agents. We also discuss the issue of “watchful waiting” in cancer of the thyroid or thymus. When might this be appropriate as an option?

We are not allied with any doctor, hospital or agency that administers such treatments. This gives us the unusual ability to assess the effectiveness of these treatments without any prejudice created by how we earn our living. We combine this with a detailed knowledge of how these treatments are actually administered and what they are likely to deliver.

While conventional treatments of thyroid and thymus cancer definitely have their place, and have often been instrumental in many cures, I also believe that there are new treatments that offer hope to patients with cancers of the thyroid or thymus, such as those involved in secondary prevention (i.e., to ward off recurrences).

There also are scientifically valid treatments that come from outside conventional Western medicine. These treatments offer hope of real and substantial benefit to patients with cancer of the thyroid or thymus, even those with advanced disease. In this Moss Report I will discuss the ones that I believe are most promising and relevant. Some of the most promising involve the medical use of heat and electricity, immunotherapy and virology.

Keep in mind that some of what are called “alternative treatments” in the United States are accepted and used in other countries. Some treatments for cancers of the thyroid or thymus are so embroiled in controversy that it is difficult to arrive at objective information about their effectiveness. I have done my best to reach a realistic judgment on many of these. Yet other treatments and approaches appear worthless or even dangerous.

My goal is to provide you with information as well as to convey a way of looking at these questions that you can apply to other treatments. I hope to give you a compass with which to evaluate the many conflicting treatment claims in the thyroid or thymus cancer field and to help you formulate a winning plan for yourself. Let my knowledge, objectivity, and experience help guide your journey!

I believe that overcoming one or another form of thyroid or thymus cancer and remaining well is more than just a physical process. Of course, medical treatments, such as surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, as well as more natural therapies, have their place in the treatment of this disease, and you need scientific information to make rational decisions about them all. But there is another dimension to the cancer problem. As one long-term survivor put it, “Returning to a state of health is not just about having treatment; it means dealing with the mental, emotional and the spiritual issues that tend to manifest physically. It means asking, ‘Am I on the path that I want to be on?’

This Moss Report on Thyroid or Thymus Cancer is dedicated to helping you to repair the breach that this cancer has created in your life. To do so, you need to seek emotional healing as well. The attention you give these less tangible areas can speed healing and enhance the effectiveness of your physical treatments. But it can also serve as a profound source of strength, peace, and inspiration for you. What we call body, mind, and spirit are interwoven strands that form the whole person.