Cutaneous manifestations of internal malignancies in a tertiary health care hospital of a developing country

Abstract

In a public hospital in Lima, Peru, 24 patients with 16 types of paraneoplastic dermatoses were identified by data collection. The most frequent dermatosis was dermatomyositis (four patients). The other dermatoses were malignant acanthosis nigricans, palmoplantar keratoderma, bullous dermatoses, lymphomatoid papulosis, edematous scarring vasculitic panniculitis, Norwegian scabies, primary systemic amyloidosis, necrolytic migratory erythema, infective dermatitis, pancreatic panniculitis, generalized pruritus, Lesser-Trelat syndrome, and acquired ichthyosis. Most of these paraneoplastic dermatoses were diagnosed before (45.8%) or at the time of (38.5%) the diagnosis of the underlying malignancy. The most frequent underlying malignancies were lymphoma, adenocarcinomas of the upper digestive tract, and malignant neoplasms of the pancreas. The average age of the patients was 47.0 ± 16.9 years and the length of the disease since diagnosis was 13.7 months. The mortality rate was 75%. Paraneoplastic dermatoses are rare dermatologic entities that are difficult to diagnose. Surveillance is also hampered when patients do not have easy access to health care centers due to financial and geographical issues. However, when identified, they might facilitate the early diagnosis of an associated tumor and contribute to increase the surveillance of patients.

A Clinical Study of Paraneoplastic Dermatoses in Internal Malignancy

“…1,4,5 Three non-specific skin changes were found with increased predilection in patients with malignant diseases as compared to controls and those were acquired ichthyosis, generalised pruritus and herpes zoster. All the cases of acquired ichthyosis and generalised pruritus were common in Hodgkin's lymphoma as reported by other workers.…”

“…All the cases of acquired ichthyosis and generalised pruritus were common in Hodgkin's lymphoma as reported by other workers. 1,2,5,6,7,8,9 Acanthosis nigricans maligna was the first dermatoses associated with malignant process being perhaps the best known among all association. 3 In our study, the more common paraneoplastic dermatoses was acquired ichthyosis seen in 10 cases.…”

Signo de Leser-Trélat asociado a adenocarcinoma gástrico: Caso clínico

“…Por otra parte, se sabe que la persistencia de las lesiones cutáneas traduce fracaso del tratamiento o reactivación de la neoplasia. En general, el pronóstico no es bueno, ya que la mayor parte de las neoplasias asociadas a este signo se comportan de manera agresiva [10][11][12] .…”

Papilomatose cutânea florida e acantose nigricante maligna reveladoras de neoplasia gástrica

“…1 The exact incidence of the condition has never been established; however, it was reported in 2 out of 12,000 patients with cancer over a 10-year period. 2,3 There is extensive mucocutaneous involvement and rapid progression in association with systemic neoplasia, usually a gastric adenocarcinoma.…”