Disappearance of autoantibody-induced haemolysis after excision of a malignant thymoma

An 82-yr-old woman presenting with autoimmune haemolytic anaemia was found to have a malignant thymoma. A mild, largely compensated, haemolytic anaemia was observed for 5 weeks; steroid therapy was not instituted. Subsequent excision of the thymoma was followed by prompt and permanent (3-yr follow-up) disappearance of the haemolysis. To date, only two such case reports have been published. In both cases, however, the haemolysis did not abate until some months after excision of the thymoma and subsequent administration of corticosteroids. The history presented here serves to illustrate the intimate relationship between thymomas and certain autoimmune diseases.