Ray has written by the thymus gland in several of his articles. He mentioned that cortisol and estrogen atrophy the thymus the most, together with serotonin. Thymus size correlates negatively with cortisol/estrogen levels and positively with progesterone, DHEA and pregnenolone levels, confirming its association with youth (which the article below also recognizes). The thymus is one of the most important component of the immune system and is the site where so-called T-cells are translocated in order to mature and learn to recognize threats to the host organism. Aside from fighting infections, those cells are the main mechanism through which already existing tumors are kept in check. Considering every person over 35 already has at least one diagnosable tumor in their body somewhere (as Ray mentioned in another article about autopsy findings in Austria) the reason most people do (or at least used to) not develop aggressive cancer until late in life is probably due to having a functioning thymus gland. Yet another confirmation that there is no such thing as “unimportant” organ and that the body works as a system, where dysfunction in a single organ/tissue often impacts systemic health and lifespan.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41586-026-10242-y
http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41586-026-10243-x
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260601025352.htm
“…Researchers at Mass General Brigham have uncovered evidence that the thymus, a small immune system organ long thought to lose its importance after childhood, may play a major role in adult health. Two new studies found that adults with healthier thymuses were more likely to live longer and less likely to develop serious diseases. The research also suggests that thymic health may influence how well cancer patients respond to immunotherapy.”
“…Located in the chest, the thymus helps train T cells, a type of immune cell that helps defend the body against infections and disease. Because the organ gradually shrinks after puberty and produces fewer new T cells over time, many scientists assumed it played only a limited role in adult health.”
“…People with higher thymic health scores experienced significantly better outcomes. Compared with individuals who had poorer thymic health, they had about a 50% lower risk of death from any cause, a 63% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, and a 36% lower risk of developing lung cancer. These relationships remained strong even after accounting for age and other health factors. The researchers believe that declines in thymic health may reduce T cell diversity, making it harder for the immune system to recognize and respond to new threats such as cancer and other diseases.”
“…In a separate study, the team examined CT scans and clinical outcomes from more than 1,200 cancer patients treated with immunotherapy. The results showed that patients with healthier thymuses tended to respond better to treatment. They faced about a 37% lower risk of cancer progression and a 44% lower risk of death, even after researchers adjusted for differences in patients, tumors, and treatment approaches. According to the researchers, these findings highlight a potentially important but previously underrecognized role for the thymus in determining how effectively modern cancer immunotherapies work.”
