The Simultaneous Occurrence of Benign Thymoma and Refractory Anemia

Abstract

1. The simultaneous occurrence of a benign thymoma and a severe anemia which failed to respond to therapy with recognized hematopoietic agents has been observed in two adult female patients. 2. Reports of seven other patients with a similar association of thymoma and refractory anemia have been found and the, salient features of these cases are summarized. 3. Possible explanations of the simultaneous occurrence of these two unusual conditions are discussed. 4. It is suggested that the thymus gland or tumors of the thymus may be etiologically responsible for certain cases of refractory anemia.

Clinical Observations on a Case of Immunodeficiency and Thymoma (Good's Syndrome) Associated With Chronic Mucocutaneous Candidiasis

“…A lack of plasma cells in the bone marrow and lymph nodes is generally found in a case with agammaglobulinemia (9). Actually, in a case reported previously, DH deficiency (10-14) and dysfunction of the bone marrow exhibiting pure red cell aplasia (8,11,13,(15)(16)(17), leukopenia (10,18) and thrombocytopenia (19,20) were associated. In these cases, recurrent upper respiratory infections and pyodermic skin involvements were described as initial clinical symptoms (21) and sprue-like diarrhea was frequently associated (10,12,22,23), which was supposed to be due to sIgA deficiency in the gut (24).…”

“…The adult acquired case of agamrnaglobulinemia with thymoma first described by Good (1) suggested DH deficiency. Ross et al (8) pointed out the relationship between benign thymoma and refractory anemia. A lack of plasma cells in the bone marrow and lymph nodes is generally found in a case with agammaglobulinemia (9).…”

Tumours of the Thymic Region

“…JOSE & C. ZACKS, 1958). Thymectomy has been helpful in only a few (Roos et al 1954). In rare cases, thy- moma appears to be accompanied by hypoplasia of the plasma cells with reduced immune response and agammaglobulinaemia (GOOD, 1955).…”

Corticosteroid‐responsive pure red cell aplasia in chronic lymphatic leukemia

“…It is characterized by anemia, absence of reticulocytes in the peripheral, smear and erythroid hypoplasia in the bone marrow [1,2]. More than 200 cases of acquired PRCA have been reported in the literature and among those there are almost as many cases with thymoma as without [3,4].…”