title: [Dermatomyositis with tonsillar carcinoma. Rare presentation as paraneoplastic syndrome].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Malignant tumors occur in up to 15 % of patients with paraneoplastic syndromes. The temporal association between malignancy and paraneoplasia is variable. Dermatomyositis belongs to the facultative cutaneous paraneoplasia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A patient presented with a cervical swelling and preexisting dermatomyositis. Staging revealed a tonsillar carcinoma with cervical, mediastinal and bone metastasis, and meningeal carcinomatosis. Systemic intrathecal chemotherapy was initiated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dermatomyositis has only been described four times worldwide as a paraneoplastic disease with tonsillar carcinoma. Upon occurrence of a paraneoplastic syndrome, an intensive search for tumours is required at regular intervals until the primary tumor is diagnosed.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Hals-, Nasen- und Ohrenheilkunde, Kopf- und Halschirurgie, Plastische Operationen, Städtisches Klinikum Dessau, Dessau, Deutschland, escholz@gzbiwo.de.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Scholz
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Trebing
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Knipping
mesh_terms: D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D003882:Dermatomyositis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010257:Paraneoplastic Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D014067:Tonsillar Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*