MYASTHENIA-GRAVIS ASSOCIATED WITH THYMOMA - CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND LONG-TERM OUTCOME

We studied 111 myasthenic patients with thymoma followed over the last 20 years. Most patients were affected with severe myasthenia gravis ( MG) and had been treated with immunosuppressive drugs. At the end of t he follow-up, we observed good therapeutic results in 74% of patients, but a complete remission in only 10% of cases. The survival rate in t hymoma patients was significantly lower than in nonthymoma cases. Clin ical parameters, MG response to treatment and survival rate did not di ffer in patients with invasive and noninvasive thymic neoplasms. Patie nts with invasive thymoma showed slightly higher surgical mortality an d a 10% incidence of tumor relapse.