Which medical condition does James Wilson have in the House M.D. series finale?

James Wilson has terminal thymoma in the House M.D. series finale.

Wilson’s diagnosis is revealed during the eighth season and drives the final storyline. Thymoma is a tumor arising from the thymus, an organ in the upper chest that plays an important role in immune-system development. In Wilson’s case, the disease is terminal and cannot be cured with the available treatment.

The diagnosis changes the relationship between Wilson and House. Wilson initially wants to continue working and living normally, but his limited prognosis forces both men to confront how they will spend the time remaining. House ultimately stages his own death to avoid prison and accompany Wilson for the final months.

Viewers can confuse Wilson’s illness with cancers associated with other characters or with medical cases from earlier episodes. The finale does not identify Wilson as having pancreatic cancer, lung adenocarcinoma, or a brain tumor. The exact diagnosis is thymoma, and the crucial qualifier in the story is that it is terminal.