Combined treatment with prednisolone and tacrolimus for myasthenia gravis with invasive thymoma.
We describe a case of recurrent invasive thymoma associated with myasthenia gravis that responded to combined treatment with prednisolone and tacrolimus. The patient suffered from a myasthenic crisis and received methylprednisolone pulse therapy and partial thymomectomy. Low maintenance doses of prednisolone and tacrolimus shrank the size of the invasive thymoma and maintained the patient without any myasthenic symptoms. We stress the usefulness of combined treatment with tacrolimus and prednisolone for invasive thymoma, especially for unresectable tumors.
Division of Respirology, Neurology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan. shiroh46@med.kurume-u.ac.jp
Shiroh
S
Miura
Koichi
K
Azuma
Kazuhiko
K
Yamada
Sinzo
S
Takamori
Akihiko
A
Kawahara
Kazuhito
K
Noda
Mitsuyoshi
M
Ayabe
Masayoshi
M
Kage
Hisamichi
H
Aizawa
Takayuki
T
Taniwaki
D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013945:Thymoma / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*
D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D011239:Prednisolone; D016559:Tacrolimus