Thymoma Associated With Multiple Myeloma

During the last 37 years a number of patients demonstrating the association between thymoma and pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) have been described. 1,2 The thymoma has usually been of the spindle-cell type; the concomitant hematological disorder has generally been characterized by a normochromic and normocytic anemia with very few reticulocytes, but with normal granulocytic picture and platelet count. Characteristic of this clinical entity are the bone marrow findings of apparent selective absence of erythropoiesis. In recent years thymoma has been described together with seemingly diverse conditions such as hypogammaglobulinemia, 3 myasthenia gravis, 4 and Cushing's syndrome. 5 Thymomas have also been recorded in association with carcinoma of the breast, 6 lung, 7 tongue, thyroid, rectum, bronchogenic adenoma, fibrosarcoma of the arm, 8 and carcinoma of the pancreas 9 with or without PRCA. In view of the active role the thymus plays in nurturing the immune system, 10-13 and