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Updated: Oct 19, 2025

Isolation and Th17 Differentiation of Naïve CD4 T Lymphocytes
Published on: September 26, 2013
Viral infection in thymoma and thymic tumors with autoimmune diseases
Rui Chang1, Shuning Duan2, Shicong Li2
1Tianjin Key Laboratory of Lung Cancer Metastasis and Tumor Microenvironment, Tianjin Lung Cancer Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.
Abstract:
A thymoma is a type of thymic tumor which is rarely malignant that is frequently reported in adult patients. A number of thymoma-related immune disorders are observed including autoimmune diseases, which suggests a strong connection between thymoma development and immunological mechanisms. Characterized by association with humoral and cellular immunodeficiency, thymoma patients are susceptible to opportunistic infections by environmental factors. Recent reports have suggested that viral infection may play a role in the etiological mechanisms of thymoma development associated with dysregulated immunity. In this review, we summarize the case reports and studies related to viral infection, such as CMV, EBV and HSV, that probably play a part in the pathogenesis of thymoma and related diseases. Furthermore, we demonstrate the underlying mechanisms by which viruses may induce the occurrence of thymoma with autoimmune diseases. Lastly, we discuss the potential application of antiviral therapy in the treatment of thymic diseases.
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