Morvan syndrome in a patient with progressing metastatic thymoma and myasthenia gravis

Authors

• Gülşen Öztosun, Neurology, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
• Ryan Salemme, Medicine, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
• Henry J. Kaminski, Neurology, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
• Sarah T. Conway, Medicine, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

3-19-2026

Journal

BMJ case reports

Volume

19

Issue

3

DOI

10.1136/bcr-2025-271140

Keywords

Autoimmunity; Paraneoplastic Syndromes

Abstract

Morvan syndrome (MoS) is a rare paraneoplastic syndrome that is predominantly characterised by autonomic dysfunction, peripheral nerve hyperexcitability and altered mental status. Cases in literature often describe pre-existing autoimmune diagnoses in patients with MoS, alluding to its association with systemic immune dysregulation.We report a woman presenting with hypersomnolence and fluctuating mental status consistent with MoS who had been previously diagnosed with metastatic thymoma, acetylcholine receptor-positive myasthenia gravis and multiple other chronic medical conditions. The report emphasises the importance of prompt recognition of symptoms and accurate diagnosis in rare diseases, allowing for timely initiation of the appropriate immunotherapy that ultimately led to rapid and significant clinical improvement.

APA Citation

Öztosun, Gülşen; Salemme, Ryan; Kaminski, Henry J.; and Conway, Sarah T., "Morvan syndrome in a patient with progressing metastatic thymoma and myasthenia gravis" (2026). GW Authored Works. Paper 8858.
https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/gwhpubs/8858

Department

Neurology