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Thymoma and agranulocytosis: two case reports and literature review
Author(s) -
Yip Desmond,
Rasko John E. J.,
Lee Choon,
Kronenberg Harry,
O'Neill Barry
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2141.1996.d01-1880.x
Subject(s) - thymoma , thymectomy , medicine , sepsis , methylprednisolone , plasmapheresis , myeloid , pure red cell aplasia , cyclophosphamide , immunology , myasthenia gravis , chemotherapy , surgery , antibody , bone marrow
Thymoma with agranulocytosis is a rare association. We describe two cases of agranulocytosis presenting with sepsis which were both found to have coincident benign spindle cell thymomas. One case, associated with promyelocyte arrest and hypogammaglobulinaemia, was treated successfully with granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor (G‐CSF). Thymectomy had no effect. The other case, associated with complete myeloid aplasia, proceeded to a fatal outcome after failure of treatment with granulocyte‐macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM‐CSF), plasmapheresis, thymectomy, intravenous immunoglobulin, cyclophosphamide and methylprednisolone. We also review the literature of thymoma in association with agranulocytosis.