In the context of a recent revision of the classification and recommendations for certain rare cancers, Italian researchers conducted a comprehensive review of the literature to determine the frequency and impact of thymus tumors, particularly in children with myasthenia gravis.
- Thirty-two articles were selected corresponding to 82 cases of pediatric thymomas diagnosed in the last 35 years.
- Only 15% of these very slowly progressive and often asymptomatic thymus tumors are related to autoimmune myasthenia.
- The histopathological classification of these tumors has not evolved (Masaoka-Koga scale).
- Surgical resection, invasive or minimally invasive, remains the preferred treatment.
Although exceedingly rare in the myasthenic thymoma patient population, these pediatric tumors should be detected and treated early.
