Paraneoplastic pemphigus regression after thymoma resection.
BACKGROUND
Among human neoplasms thymomas are associated with highest frequency with paraneoplastic autoimmune diseases.


METHODS
A case of a 42-year-old woman with paraneoplastic pemphigus as the first manifestation of thymoma is reported. Transsternal complete thymoma resection achieved pemphigus regression. The clinical correlations between pemphigus and thymoma are presented.


CONCLUSIONS
Our case report provides further evidence for the important role of autoantibodies in the pathogenesis of paraneoplastic skin diseases in thymoma patients. It also documents the improvement of the associated pemphigus after radical treatment of the thymoma.
Barbetakis
Nikolaos
N
Thoracic Surgery Department, Theagenio Cancer Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece. nibarbet@yahoo.gr
Samanidis
Georgios
G
Paliouras
Dimitrios
D
Boukovinas
Ioannis
I
Asteriou
Christos
C
Stergiou
Eleni
E
Laschos
Kostas
K
Tsilikas
Christodoulos
C
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010257:Paraneoplastic Syndromes / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010392:Pemphigus / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013945:Thymoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*