A Case of Concurrent Thymic Carcinoma with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.
- Author:
Young Joo LEE
1
;
Sang Tae CHOI
;
Se Hyun KIM
;
Kyung Soo JUNG
;
Sul Hee YOON
;
Soo Jin JEUNG
;
Seung Woo YI
;
Joo Hang KIM
Author Information
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords: Thymic carcinoma; Systemic lupus erythematosus; Autoimmune disease
- MeSH: Antibodies; Autoimmune Diseases; Classification; Drug Therapy; Epithelium; Humans; Lung; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic*; Lymphopenia; Middle Aged; Myalgia; Neoplasm Metastasis; Oral Ulcer; Thorax; Thymoma*; Thymus Gland
- From:Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases 2007;62(1):67-70
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
- Abstract: A thymic carcinoma is a rare malignant neoplasm of the thymus epithelium, which can be distinguished from a benign or invasive thymoma. Contrary to a thymoma, the association of a thymic carcinoma and autoimmune disease is rare, with only a few cases having been reported. Herein, a case of thymic carcinoma diagnosed concurrently with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is reported. A 49 year-old man presented at our clinic with myalgia. He was diagnosed with SLE, based on an oral ulcer, lymphopenia, and positive ANA and anti-Sm antibodies. Incidentally, a routine chest X-ray showed a large mediastinal mass. Pathological examination of the mediastinal mass revealed an undifferentiated thymic carcinoma, of WHO classification type C. Further work-up for staging showed multiple bone and lung metastases. With a palliative aim, he received systemic chemotherapy, but refused further chemotherapy after the 2nd course. Currently, the patient has not been followed up since the chemotherapy.
