Paraneoplastic erythroderma in a prostate cancer patient.
BACKGROUND
Erythroderma is an inflammation of the skin, which can be triggered by various diseases as psoriasis, allergies, side effects of medication, infections or malignant tumors. Caused by these various etiologic possibilities patients require extensive diagnostic effort.


METHODS
We report a case of a 71-year-old man presenting with an erythroderma of unknown etiology. Therapy with corticosteroids was not successful. A complete remission was reached by therapy with cyclosporine A, 350 mg/day. Finally, an increased prostate specific antigene (PSA) value was found and a prostate cancer was diagnosed in the patient.


RESULTS
After definitive radiotherapy of the carcinoma (total dose 74 Gy, 5 x 2 Gy/week), the cyclosporine A was displaced without recurrence of erythroderma.


CONCLUSIONS
In this case, we consider the erythroderma to have been a paraneoplastic effect of the prostate carcinoma. In male patients with erythroderma an early PSA test should be performed.
Momm
Felix
F
Department of Radiation Therapy, University Clinic, Freiburg, Germany. momm@mst1.ukl.uni-freiburg.de
Pflieger
Dorothee
D
Lutterbach
Johannes
J
D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D001706:Biopsy; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003873:Dermatitis, Exfoliative / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010257:Paraneoplastic Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D016572:Cyclosporine; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen