title: A case of co-existing paraganglioma and thymoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Head and neck paragangliomas are rare tumours and can arise as a part of inherited syndromes. Their association with thymic tumour is not well known.
  
  
  METHODS
  This report describes a female patient who presented with right sided neck paragangliomas. The histology of the tumour was consistent with paraganlioma. Few years later her MRI scan of the chest revealed presence of an anterior mediastinal mass that corresponded to the location of the thymus. Review of her previous scans showed that the mass was present all along and had gradually increased in size. Patient developed symptoms including fatigue, dyspnoea, migratory polyarthritis, Raynaud's phenomenon and erythema nodosum. She had sternotomy and excision of mediastinal mass. The histology was consistent with cortical thymoma (WHO type B2) and she had radiotherapy. After treatment her constitutional symptoms improved. Her paraganglioma susceptibility genes are negative.
  
  
  RESULTS
  To our knowledge this is only the second case report in the literature of coexistence of carotid body tumour and thymoma. The first case reported was bilateral carotid body tumour, thyroid gland adenoma and thymoma. This case also highlights the importance of long term surveillance, multidisciplinary management and being aware of associated pathologies in patients with isolated paraganglioma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Thomas Addison Unit, St George's Healthcare NHS Trust, Blackshaw Road, Tooting, London, SW17 0QT UK.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bano
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Thomas Addison Unit, St George's Healthcare NHS Trust, Blackshaw Road, Tooting, London, SW17 0QT UK.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sennik
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Thomas Addison Unit, St George's Healthcare NHS Trust, Blackshaw Road, Tooting, London, SW17 0QT UK.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kenchaiah
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Thomas Addison Unit, St George's Healthcare NHS Trust, Blackshaw Road, Tooting, London, SW17 0QT UK.
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kyaw
authors.affiliation: Clinical Genetics, Southwest Thames Regional Genetics Service, St George's Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: Katie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Snape
authors.affiliation: Clinical Genetics, Southwest Thames Regional Genetics Service, St George's Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tripathi
authors.affiliation: Cellular Pathology, St George's Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: Radiology, St George's Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vlahos
authors.affiliation: Cardiothoracic Surgery, St George's Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hunt
authors.affiliation: Clinical Genetics, Southwest Thames Regional Genetics Service, St George's Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hodgson
keywords: Carotid body tumour; Hereditary paragangliomas; Mediastinal mass; Succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) subunits; Thymoma