A Small Cell Lung Cancer Concurrently Diagnosed with Paraneoplastic Dermatomyositis

Abstract

Dermatomyositis is an inflammatory myopathy, of unknown etiology, which is characterized by cutaneous rashes, accompanied by progressive and symmetric proximal muscle weakness. Especially in older people, the incidences of malignant conditions appear to be increased in dermatomyositis patients, and the prognosis is very poor. Because dermatomyositis may occur as a paraneoplastic syndrome, extensive screening tests, for an occult malignant neoplasm, should be conducted in older dermatomyositis patients. We experienced a case of small cell lung cancer, which had a very rapid and catastrophic clinical course, in a 63-year-old male patient with dermatomyositis. We report this case, and review the literature on the relationship of dermatomyositis and malignancy. (Cancer Res Treat. 2003;35:161-164