Thymoma and autoimmunity

Is There a Bridge Between Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Thymomas?

“…[6,7] In addition, some research declared that intratumor thymopoiesis could generate impaired T cells or alter the T cell repertoire and create a greater potential for the onset of autoimmune diseases such as SLE. [2,3] In fact, it has been accepted as truth that thymomas can affect autoimmune diseases like SLE through some unknown mechanisms. [3][4][5][6][7] If we follow this path of thought, it is also easy to deduce that for patients with both autoimmune diseases and thymomas, the treatment given for thymomas, (i.e., a thymectomy) would improve the clinical outcomes of autoimmune diseases since there is a relationship between the two.…”

“…[2,3] In fact, it has been accepted as truth that thymomas can affect autoimmune diseases like SLE through some unknown mechanisms. [3][4][5][6][7] If we follow this path of thought, it is also easy to deduce that for patients with both autoimmune diseases and thymomas, the treatment given for thymomas, (i.e., a thymectomy) would improve the clinical outcomes of autoimmune diseases since there is a relationship between the two. Furthermore if there are some immunoregulations associated with both SLE and thymomas, then these two diseases are most likely to occur or, if already present, accelerate under dramatic changes such as when a thymectomy is performed or when the SLE is in the active stage.…”

“…[1] A thymoma is the only tumor that has been proven to generate mature T cells from immature precursors. [2] Many people have suspected that the association between thymomas and SLE is not incidental [3][4][5][6][7] due to the primary immunological role of the thymus and the purported abnormal functioning of the T lymphocytes in SLE. However, in our patient, the thymoma developed after five years of stabilized SLE activity, and the treatment for the thymoma did not change the state of the SLE.…”

Thymoma with Concomitant Pure Red Cell Aplasia, Good’s Syndrome and Myasthenia Gravis Responding to Rituximab

“…Thymomas represent benign epithelial tumors of the thymus [1] accounting for 20-25 % of all mediastinal tumors and 50 % of anterior mediastinal ones [2]. They are the most common human neoplasms associated with paraneoplastic autoimmune diseases, specifically myasthenia gravis (MG) [3] and less commonly Lambert-Eaton syndrome, bullous pemphigoid, systemic lupus erythematosus, pure red cell aplasia (PRCA), and immunodeficiency, among others [4]. The exact mechanism(s) by which thymomas induce autoreactivity remain to be better understood.…”

“…The exact mechanism(s) by which thymomas induce autoreactivity remain to be better understood. A plausible explanation is a resulting damage induced by tumor growth within the thymus affecting its ability to maintain selftolerance, hence leading to development of autoimmune diseases [4,5]. The association of thymomas with both PRCA and Good's syndrome is extremely rare and only few cases have been reported in the literature [6][7][8][9].…”