Concurrence of Recurrent Thymoma and Lung Cancer A and Review of Literature

A 46-year-old female was found to have concurrence of recurrent thymoma and lung cancer because of a transient blephaloptosis which appeared 14 years following removal of the primary thymoma. Primary thymoma was non-invasive, but recurrent thymoma invaded anterior chest wall. One year after the second operation, blephaloptosis recurred and the patient was diagnosed as myasthenia, occular type. Recurrence of non-invasive thymoma is rare. And that recurrent thymoma occurred simultaneously with lung cancer is not found in the literature. Occurrence of extra-thymic malignancy has no relationship with the progression of thymoma and may present in multiple organs. Elevation of serum-CEA was noted in the present case. Review of the thymomas treated in our department shows that serum-CEA may be used as an indicator of recurrence or progression of thymoma