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Thymomas associated with pure red cell aplasia. Histologic and follow‐up studies
Author(s) -
Masaoka Akira,
Hashimoto Takahiko,
Shibata Kazuo,
Yamakawa Yosuke,
Nakamae Katsumi,
Iizuka Masao
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(19891101)64:9<1872::aid-cncr2820640920>3.0.co;2-0
Subject(s) - hypogammaglobulinemia , pure red cell aplasia , thymoma , medicine , myasthenia gravis , thymectomy , germinal center , antibody , pathology , immunology , b cell , bone marrow
Seventeen cases of pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) with thymoma were studied clinically, histologically, and immunologically. Two cases were associated with myasthenia gravis (MG), and three with hypogammaglobulinemia. Coombs test and antinucleus antibody test were positive in five cases. All thymomas were spindle cell types, and the adjacent thymuses had no germinal center, but showed epithelial clusters frequently. All patients, except one whose tumor was unresectable, had thymo‐thymomectomy. The operation was effective in six cases (37.5%), and the effects were not different between two operative procedures (simple and extended thymectomy). Myasthenic symptoms in two patients remitted after the operation, but effects on hypogammaglobulinemia were conincident with those on PRCA.