title: Henoch-Schönlein purpura associated with malignancy in adults.
abstract: Malignancy is a well-known cause of cutaneous vasculitis. The occurrence of neoplasia and Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) is rare and poorly understood in adults. A total of 31 cases have been reported in the world literature of adult malignancy-associated HSP. Patients were overwhelmingly male (94%) with a mean age of 60 years and presented predominantly with solid tumors (61%). The most frequent tumors were lung (nonsmall-cell) (n = 8), multiple myeloma (n = 5), prostate (n = 5), and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (n = 3). The majority of patients (55%) developed HSP within 1 month of cancer diagnosis or detection of metastases. We present 3 cases of adults who, in the absence of known precipitating factors, developed HSP within 2 months of diagnosis of a solid tumor or metastases. We recommend that adults, especially older men who present with unexplained HSP, be evaluated for occult neoplasm. We also advise that patients with a known history of malignancy who present with HSP be evaluated for metastatic disease.
authors.affiliation: College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Joanna M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Zurada
authors.forename: Kimberley M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: Marc E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Grossman
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001005:Anus Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000150:complications; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011695:IgA Vasculitis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*