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A case of thymoma showing significant tumor reduction after anti-thymocyte globulin

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Abstract

A 71-year-old female with type B3 thymoma developed severe aplastic anemia. Anti-thymocyte globulin was administered with glucocorticoids and cyclosporin A as the treatment for aplastic anemia. Computed tomography scan revealed that thymoma apparently shrank and remained without regrowth for at least 7 months. As previously reported, glucocorticoid has therapeutic effects on thymoma especially with abundant lymphocytes. Anti-thymocyte globulin also depletes peripheral lymphocytes, but its efficacy in the treatment of thymoma is unknown. Anti-thymocyte globulin and glucocorticoids may have cooperated with each other in reducing thymoma in our case. More cases should be accumulated to elucidate the effects of anti-thymocyte globulin on thymoma.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Hematology and Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan

    Hiroki Hayashida, Akira Honda, Toshiya Hino, Hideaki Mizuno, Kazuhiro Toyama & Mineo Kurokawa

  2. Department of Cell Therapy and Transplantation Medicine, The University of Tokyo Hospital, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan

    Mineo Kurokawa

Authors
  1. Hiroki Hayashida
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  2. Akira Honda
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  3. Toshiya Hino
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  4. Hideaki Mizuno
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  5. Kazuhiro Toyama
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  6. Mineo Kurokawa
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Correspondence to Mineo Kurokawa.

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Hayashida, H., Honda, A., Hino, T. et al. A case of thymoma showing significant tumor reduction after anti-thymocyte globulin. Gen Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 70, 96–99 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11748-021-01721-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11748-021-01721-2

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