Cyclosporine is a potential curative treatment option for advanced thymoma.

BACKGROUND: Thymectomy can effectively cure most thymoma patients; however, patients with advanced thymoma typically require chemotherapy, which is associated with limited efficacy in this context. Here we provide the first report of a patient with recurrent thymoma who achieved complete remission (CR) using cyclosporine therapy.

CASE PRESENTATION: A 63-year-old woman who had undergone resection surgery for recurrent type B1 thymoma developed pure red cell aplasia (PRCA), and CT findings revealed thymoma recurrence. After the initiation of orally-administered cyclosporine, PRCA quickly resolved, and the thymoma disappeared without the administration of any anti-thymoma therapy. The patient has remained in CR for over 3 years using only cyclosporine.

CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report describing the curative potential of cyclosporine for the treatment of advanced thymoma. Although the mechanism underlying this effect remains unclear, cyclosporine can become a less toxic and more cost-effective treatment option for thymoma compared with conventional therapy. Clinical trials are needed to confirm the therapeutic potential of cyclosporine as a new treatment option for thymoma.