J Korean Med Sci.  2007 Sep;22(Suppl):S174-S177. 10.3346/jkms.2007.22.S.S174.

Dermatomyositis Associated with Cancer of Unknown Primary Site

• Kim HI
• Chung SH
• Hwang JE
• Kim SH
• Ahn JS
• Yang DH
• Kim YK
• Yun SJ
• Cho SH
• Lee JJ
• Chung IJ
• Kim HJ

• KMID: 1785811
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2007.22.S.S174

Abstract

Dermatomyositis (DM) is an uncommon inflammatory myopathy with characteristic rash accompanying, or more often preceding, muscle weakness. There is a well-recognized association between DM and several cancers, such as ovarian cancer, breast cancer, melanoma, colon cancer, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. We report the first case of cancer of unknown primary site associated with DM. A 62-yr-old woman presented to us with both shoulder painful swelling and facial edema. She was diagnosed previously as cancer of unknown primary site, histologically confirmed with squamous cell carcinoma in a pelvic mass. For the following days, she complained of erythematous face followed by progressive weakness of the proximal muscles of upper and lower limbs. The laboratory tests showed an increased muscle enzyme and acute phase reactants. The electromyogram showed the typical findings of DM. After the treatment with high dose steroid and methotrexate, the proximal motor weakness improved, and she received palliative radiation therapy.

Keyword

Dermatomyositis; Paraneoplastic Syndromes; Unknown Primary Neoplasms

MeSH Terms

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/complications/diagnosis/pathology
Dermatomyositis/*complications/diagnosis/pathology/therapy
Female
Humans
Middle Aged
Neoplasms, Unknown Primary/*complications/diagnosis/pathology

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Abdominopelvic CT showed a large lobulated mass with speckled calcification in left iliopsoas muscle.

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  Fig. 2 The submitted specimen disclosed squamous differentiation of tumor cells scattered dyskeratotic tumor cells, necrotic surface and keratotic debris. H&E stain ×100 (A), ×200 (B).

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  Fig. 3 Diffuse erythematous papules were seen on the forehead, nasal bridge (A), trunk (B), interpharyngeal, periungal (C).

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