Dermatomyositis associated with cancer of unknown primary site.
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.
Kim
Hyung Il
HI
Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea.
Chung
Sung Hoon
SH
Hwang
Jun Eul
JE
Kim
Sang Ho
SH
Ahn
Jae Sook
JS
Yang
Duk Hwan
DH
Kim
Yoe Kyeoung
YK
Yun
Sook Jung
SJ
Cho
Sang Hee
SH
Lee
Je Jung
JJ
Chung
Ik Joo
IJ
Kim
Hyeoung Joon
HJ
D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D003882:Dermatomyositis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009382:Neoplasms, Unknown Primary / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology