Paraneoplastic rheumatic syndromes: report of eight cases and review of literature

Abstract

Malignant neoplasms are associated with a wide variety of paraneoplastic rheumatological syndromes. The paraneoplastic nature should be based on specific criteria. We report a series of eight cases of paraneoplastic rheumatic syndromes revealing an underlying neoplasia. Our series consists of six men and two women, with a mean age of 46.1 (20-69 years). The first case is a hypertrophic osteoarthropathy of Pierre Marie that occurred in a 20-year-old man 1 month after treatment for his nasopharyngeal carcinoma; the paraclinical examinations showed lung and bone metastasis. The second case is that of a bilateral shoulder-hand syndrome revealing an invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix in a 63-year-old woman. The third case involved a 69-year-old patient who had surgery 2 years ago for prostate adenocarcinoma and presented with polymyalgia rheumatica revealing bone metastasis. We also report two cases of leukemia in adults revealed by polyarthritis. The sixth observation is that of a paraneoplastic scleroderma that occurred concomitantly with prostate cancer. The seventh case of an acute arthritis showed a B lymphoma. The eighth case is that of a 52-year-old patient who presented with inflammatory arthralgias, and digital clubbing revealing a squamous cell carcinoma of the skin. Paraneoplastic rheumatism remains a rare event, but knowledge of it is essential for early diagnosis of underlying cancer.

Can scleroderma be induced by anesthetics? Case report

“…Cancer and autoimmune diseases are often associated with scleroderma, and it is difficult to determine which is the primary disease. Malignant neoplasms may induce a wide variety of paraneoplastic rheumatological syndromes [21,22]. The opposite is also true, as it has been observed that scleroderma caused by the occupational exposure to solvents may frequently result in cancer [8].…”

Whole-Body18FDG-PET in an Arthritis Paraneoplastic Syndrome Revealed an Underlying Hematological Neoplasm

“…After a review of the literature, only one reported case of a hematological neoplasm was detected after 18 FDG-PET, and it was a young woman with bone inflammatory pain and with severe inflammatory biological syndrome. The case was different from ours where a diagnosis of acute leukemia was given thanks to a 18 FDG-PET exam [2]. …”

Urologische Malignome und rheumatoide Arthritis

“…Eine systematische Suche nach einem Malignom wird zwar aufgrund der Seltenheit dieser Konstellation nicht empfohlen [21], gerade bei atypischer Präsentation ohne klare Serologie sind aber FragennacheinerSymptomatikund nach regelmäßigen Vorsorgeuntersuchungen oft sinnvoll. Immerhin können verschiedene rheumatische Symptome paraneoplastisch durch ein urologisches Tumorleiden hervorgerufen werden [15,21,26].…”