Aplastic anemia as a late complication of thymoma in remission.
Thymoma has many auto-immune associations, including aplastic anemia and myasthenia gravis. The pathophysiologic relationship between thymoma and its auto-immune sequelae are yet to be fully elucidated, but are thought to be as a result of the production of auto-reactive T cell clones by the thymic epithelium. We report a case in which aplastic anemia did not develop until sometime after remission from thymoma had been induced. This observation suggests that auto-reactive T cells may be produced by the thymoma but not induce clinical auto-immune disease until a later time, even after eradication of thymoma has been achieved.
Ritchie
David S
DS
Department of Clinical Haematology and Medical Oncology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Australia. dritchie@malaghan.org.nz
Underhill
Craig
C
Grigg
Andrew P
AP
D000741:Anemia, Aplastic / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000276:immunology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013945:Thymoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy*; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents