Extramedullary plasmacytoma presenting with myasthenia gravis and mediastinal mass

A R Ahmed; A J Marchbank; A G Nicholson; A C Wotherspoon; G P Ladas

doi:10.1016/s0003-4975(00)01478-8

Extramedullary plasmacytoma presenting with myasthenia gravis and mediastinal mass

Ann Thorac Surg. 2000 Oct;70(4):1390-2. doi: 10.1016/s0003-4975(00)01478-8.

Authors

A R Ahmed¹, A J Marchbank, A G Nicholson, A C Wotherspoon, G P Ladas

Affiliation

¹ Department of Thoracic Surgery, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, England.

PMID: 11081905
DOI: 10.1016/s0003-4975(00)01478-8

Abstract

A 68-year-old woman presented with myasthenia gravis and an anterior mediastinal mass, which proved to be an extramedullary plasmacytoma in the thymus with associated extracellular light chain deposition. Further specimens revealed plasma cell proliferation in an internal thoracic lymph node and in a subsequent colectomy specimen, indicating systemic disease. This case demonstrates the rare association between a plasmacytoma in the thymus and myasthenia gravis.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Aged
Biopsy
Diagnosis, Differential
Female
Humans
Immunoglobulin Light Chains / analysis
Lymph Node Excision
Multiple Myeloma / diagnosis
Multiple Myeloma / pathology
Multiple Myeloma / surgery
Myasthenia Gravis / diagnosis*
Myasthenia Gravis / pathology
Myasthenia Gravis / surgery
Plasmacytoma / diagnosis*
Plasmacytoma / pathology
Plasmacytoma / surgery
Thymectomy
Thymus Gland / pathology
Thymus Neoplasms / diagnosis*
Thymus Neoplasms / pathology
Thymus Neoplasms / surgery

Substances

Immunoglobulin Light Chains