title: Multiple skeletal muscle metastases from colon carcinoma preceded by paraneoplastic dermatomyositis.
abstract: Skeletal muscle metastases are very rare events in colorectal carcinoma. By contrast, dermatomyositis is an idiopathic inflammatory myopathy with characteristic cutaneous manifestations and a well-recognized association with several human malignancies and, among others, colorectal cancer. Here, we report the case of a 71-year-old woman with paraneoplastic dermatomyositis followed by the development of a metastatic colon cancer. Interestingly, this patient developed multiple skeletal metastases which were preceded by the worsening of systemic symptoms of dermatomyositis. This observation suggests that, while muscle tissue is usually resistant to the development of tumor metastases, the inflammatory and immune response which characterizes and boosts paraneoplastic myopathy may represent a favorable soil for tumor cell invasion and metastasization to skeletal muscles.
authors: Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Viale Pinto, 1-71100 Foggia, Italy.
authors: Matteo
authors: M
authors: Landriscina
authors: Assunta Maria Teresa
authors: AM
authors: Gerardi
authors: Alberto
authors: A
authors: Fersini
authors: Sergio
authors: S
authors: Modoni
authors: Luca Pio
authors: LP
authors: Stoppino
authors: Luca
authors: L
authors: Macarini
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Sanguedolce
authors: Pantaleo
authors: P
authors: Bufo
authors: Vincenzo
authors: V
authors: Neri
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