Autoimmune Alopecia Areata Due to Thymoma Without Myasthenia Gravis: A Case Report
May 2023
in “
Surgical Case Reports
”
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Studysummary This case report describes a rare instance of thymoma associated with alopecia areata in a 60-year-old woman who had no signs of myasthenia gravis, highlighting the need for thoracic surgeons to consider alopecia in such cases due to its impact on quality of life.
Our plain-language summary. Not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing treatment. Full disclaimer
A 60-year-old woman with rapid alopecia areata, an autoimmune hair loss condition, was discovered to have a thymoma, a tumor in the thymus gland, but did not have myasthenia gravis, a condition often linked with thymoma. Despite two months of topical steroids, her hair loss did not improve. A biopsy revealed CD8-positive lymphocytes in her hair follicles. However, her hair loss improved two months after a transsternal extended thymectomy was performed to remove the thymoma. This case indicates that alopecia areata can be a rare complication in thymoma cases without myasthenia gravis, and thoracic surgeons should be aware of this potentiality.
