Acrokeratosis paraneoplastica Bazex syndrome associated with esophageal squamocellular carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
Acrokeratosis paraneoplastica Bazex (APB) is a very rare disease in the group of obligate paraneoplastic dermatoses, associated mostly with squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract and metastatic cervical lymphadenopathy. The disease is characterized by violaceous erythemosquamous changes on the acral regions. This entity was first reported by Bazex in 1965. About 160 cases have been presented so far.


METHODS
We presented a patient with a three-month history of violaceous erythema, edema, erosions and scaling on the acral regions, elbows and knees and severe nail dystrophy. When the diagnosis was established, he did not have any symptom of internal malignancy. Esophagogastroscopy revealed ulcerovegetant lesion of the esophagus, while histology showed squamocellular invasive carcinoma. Surgical tumor removal resulted in significant improvement of skin changes in 15 days. Unfortunately, four months later, extensive skin lesions pointed to metastasis of squamous cell carcinoma.


CONCLUSIONS
Skin changes can precede a few years the first manifestations of neoplasia. The course of the disease in our patient proved that APB is a specific marker of underlying malignancy.
Medenica
Ljiljana
L
Clinical Center of Serbia, Institute of Dermatology and Venerology, Belgrade, Serbia. limed@EUnet.yu
Gajić-Veljić
Mirjana
M
Skiljević
Dusan
D
Pesko
Predrag
P
D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000150:complications*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010257:Paraneoplastic Syndromes / Q000473:pathology*; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*