GVHD-like Erythroderma Associated with Aggravation of Thymoma / 대한피부과학회지

ABSTRACT

Thymoma-associated multiorgan autoimmunity (TAMA) is a rare paraneoplastic disease defined as thymomas with liver, intestine, or skin manifestations, resembling graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) histopathologically in the absence of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. A 76-year-old woman who had been diagnosed with invasive thymoma presented for evaluation of erythematous scaly papules across the trunk and extremities. Histopathological findings revealed parakeratosis, many apoptotic cells in the epidermal layer, and perivascular and interface dermatitis with lymphocytic infiltration. These pathologic alterations were similar to those observed in GVHD. Interestingly, she had never undergone allogenic stem cell or solid-organ transplantation. Based on her medical history and the presence of GVHD-like skin symptoms, we suspected that the cutaneous lesions may have been related to aggravation of the thymoma. We report this rare and interesting case for educational purposes because such a case has never been reported in Korea before.