Acquired trichomegaly and hypertrichosis in metastatic adenocarcinoma

Abstract

We report the case of a non-HIV patient suffering from a metastatic renal adenocarcinoma who developed trichomegaly 3 months before death. The patient also developed generalized hypertrichosis of the terminal hair, a feature that has been previously described in malnutrition. Other cases of hypertrichosis, including ectopic hormone production, were excluded and the differential diagnosis with paraneoplastic acquired hypertrichosis lanuginosa is discussed. Although trichomegaly is usually considered as a cutaneous marker of AIDS, we suggest that both trichomegaly and hypertrichosis of the terminal hair were secondary to malnutrition.

Acquired hypertrichosis lanuginosa as a presenting sign of metastatic prostate cancer with rapid resolution after treatment

“…12 The mechanism causing the mature hair follicle to revert and produce embryonic hair is not completely understood although it has been proposed that secretion of humoral substances by cancer cells may account for its development. 8,11,13 Several aberrant laboratory values including elevated carcinoembryonic antigen, gonadotropin, serum gastrin, serum calcium, urinary cortisol, and low testosterone have been reported in association with AHL although without consistent explanation. 11 Differential diagnoses for suggested AHL include hirsutism and hypertrichosis associated with nonmalignant causes.…”

Hypertrichosis in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)

“…Despite the fact that several authors have used the terms trichomegaly and hypertrichosis of the eyelashes synonymously, we have avoided the former term because it means that the diameter of the eyelash hairs is increased compared to that of the normal population The presence of excessive eyelash growth has been described in patients with AIDS [2][3][4][5][6] as well as in immunocompromised patients without concomitant HIV infection, for example in lymphoma [8], metastatic renal adenocarcinoma [9] and kala-azar [10]. It may suggest that HIV itself is not the cause of such a manifestation.…”

“…Acquired hypertrichosis of the eyelashes, also known as trichomegaly, has been described in patients with immunodeficiency states such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, cancer and immunosuppressive drug usage [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. We describe a rare case of SLE in which there was hypertrichosis of the eyelashes as part of the initial manifestation of the disease.…”

Eyelashes: Anatomical and Physiological Features, Eyelash Loss and Trichomegaly: Review

“…24 Trikomegali ile ilişkisi tam netlik kazanmayan, literatürde birlikteliği nadir olgular şeklinde rapor edilen durumlar arasında malnütrisyon, alopesi areata, sistemik lupus eritematozus, dermatomiyozit ve metastatik renal adenokarsinom yer almaktadır. [35][36][37][38][39] Bu durumlardaki trikomegalinin koinsidental olup olmadığı netlik kazanmamış-tır. 24 Ayrıca, bazı kaynaklarda porfiri, akrodini, hipotiroidi, POEMS sendromu, anoreksi nevroza, linear skleroderma, hepatopati, Kala-azar ve gebelik gibi durumların trikomegali ile ilişkili olabileceği belirtilse de bunlarla ilgili çalışma ya da olgu raporu şeklinde yeterli literatür kanıtı yoktur.…”