A Case of Concurrent Thymic Carcinoma with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. |
Young Joo Lee, Sang Tae Choi, Se Hyun Kim, Kyung Soo Jung, Sul Hee Yoon, Soo Jin Jeung, Seung Woo Yi, Joo Hang Kim |
Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. kjhang@yumc.yonsei.ac.kr |
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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. |
Key Words:
Thymic carcinoma, Systemic lupus erythematosus, Autoimmune disease |
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