Thymoma history and symptoms

Thymoma Microchapters
Home
Patient Information
Overview
Historical Perspective
Classification
Pathophysiology
Causes
Differentiating Thymoma from other Diseases
Epidemiology and Demographics
Risk Factors
Screening
Natural History, Complications and Prognosis
Diagnosis
Diagnostic Study of Choice
History and Symptoms
Physical Examination
Laboratory Findings
Electrocardiogram
X-ray
Echocardiography and Ultrasound
CT scan
MRI
Other Imaging Findings
Other Diagnostic Studies
Treatment
Medical Therapy
Surgery
Primary Prevention
Secondary Prevention
Cost-Effectiveness of Therapy
Future or Investigational Therapies
Case Studies
Case #1
Thymoma history and symptoms On the Web
Most recent articles
Most cited articles
Review articles
CME Programs
Powerpoint slides
Images
American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Thymoma history and symptoms All Images X-rays Echo & Ultrasound CT Images MRI
Ongoing Trials at Clinical Trials.gov
US National Guidelines Clearinghouse
NICE Guidance
FDA on Thymoma history and symptoms
CDC on Thymoma history and symptoms
Thymoma history and symptoms in the news
Blogs on Thymoma history and symptoms
Directions to Hospitals Treating Thymoma
Risk calculators and risk factors for Thymoma history and symptoms

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Amr Marawan, M.D. [2]

Overview

One-third of patients have their tumors discovered because they have an associated autoimmune disorder. The most common of those conditions is myasthenia gravis (MG); 10–15% of patients with MG have a thymoma and, conversely, 30–45% of patients with thymomas have MG.

Signs and symptoms

A third of all people with a thymoma have symptoms caused by compression of the surrounding organs by an expansive mass. These problems may take the form of (compression of the upper caval vein), dysphagia (difficulty swallowing), cough or chest pain.

As mentioned earlier,one-third of patients have their tumors discovered because they have an associated autoimmune disorder the most common of those conditions is myasthenia gravis (MG). Additional associated autoimmune conditions include pure red cell aplasia and Good's syndrome (thymoma with combined immunodeficiency and hypogammaglobulinemia). Other reported disease associations are with acute pericarditis, Addison's disease, agranulocytosis, alopecia areata, ulcerative colitis, Cushing's disease, hemolytic anemia, limbic encephalitis, myocarditis, nephrotic syndrome, panhypopituitarism, pernicious anemia, polymyositis, rheumatoid arthritis, sarcoidosis, scleroderma, sensorimotor radiculopathy, stiff person syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus and thyroiditis.

One-third to one-half of all persons with thymoma have no symptoms at all, and the mass is identified on a chest X-ray or CT/CAT scan performed for an unrelated problem.

A third to half of all people with a thymoma have no symptoms at all, and the mass is identified on a chest X-ray performed for an unrelated problem.

List of autoimmune diseases associated

Type	Diseases
Neuromuscular Diseases	Myasthenia gravis, neuromyotonia, rippling muscle disease, polymyositis/dermatomyositis, encephalitis (limbic, cortical and brain stem), intestinal pseudoobstruction.
Haematologic Autoimmune Diseases	Anemia: pure red cell aplasia, pernicious anemia, hemolytic anemia and aplastic anemia. Other isolated cytopenis: esinophils, basophils and neutophils. Immunodeficiencies: hypogammaglobulinaemia +/- T-cell deficiencies (Good syndrome).
Dermatologic Diseases	Pemphigus (foliaceus or paraneoplastic), lichen planus, alopecia areata.
Endocrine Disorders	Addison disease, graves disease and cushing disease.
Renal and Hepatic Diseases	Glomerulonephritis and autoimmune hepatitis.
Systemic Autoimmune Diseases	SLE, sjögren syndrome, systmeic sclerosis and graft-versus-host-disease.