Further stratification of patients with TETs into patients with TCs and thymomas compared to volunteers revealed significant differences in sRAGE and HMGB1 levels in serum but not in esRAGE levels (sRAGE [pg/ml] TC 188.6±40.5 vs. thymoma 291.8±47.1 vs. control 364.8±28.6; p = 0.008; fig. This evidence concerns the gene HMGB1 and thymoma.