Successful resection of liver metastasis detected by exacerbation of skin symptom in a patient with dermatomyositis accompanied by rectal cancer: a case report and literature review

Abstract

BackgroundDermatomyositis (DM) is a rare syndrome that belongs to the group of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies. The association between DM and malignancy is well recognized, and the severity of DM symptoms has been linked to the progression of metastatic disease.Case presentationWe report the case of a 42-year-old man that was diagnosed with dermatomyositis (DM) and rectal cancer. Proctectomy was performed, and DM symptoms were resolved postoperatively. One year and 9 months after the surgery, liver metastasis occurred accompanied by the exacerbation of DM symptom. Partial resection of the liver was performed, and postoperative course was uneventful. DM symptoms improved postoperatively, and no evidence of cancer recurrence or DM symptoms was observed 2 years after the second surgery. To date, few reports have described recurring cases of DM accompanied by colorectal cancer in detail. We reviewed four similar cases that were reported poor prognoses with treatment resistance. However, our case report demonstrates good long-term results with resection of metastatic lesion.ConclusionsIt is important to check the exacerbation of DM symptoms, as this symptom sometimes preceded cancer relapse during the follow-up of our patient with DM and colorectal cancer.

Paraneoplastic dermatomyositis associated with metastatic leiomyosarcoma of unknown primary

“…The severity of the skin lesions appeared to wax and wane, with the metastatic disease suggesting a temporal relationship between cutaneous features and leiomyosarcoma disease status. In patients with paraneoplastic dermatomyositis and advanced cancer, similar temporal relationships have been described [ 31 , 32 ]. The development of erythema in the ‘V’ neck distribution, in hindsight, may have been the first early sign of dermatomyositis and mild progression of metastatic disease.…”

An Extremely Rare and Aggressive Case of Undifferentiated Carcinoma With Osteoclast-Like Giant Cells of the Pancreas Presenting as a Paraneoplastic Syndrome: A Case Report and Literature Review

“…The standard treatment for DM includes strict photoprotection, topical corticosteroids, and immunosuppressive agents [16]. Similar to paraneoplastic syndromes, it often regresses with surgical treatment of the underlying neoplasm and reappears with recurrence [17]. To our knowledge, no cases of paraneoplastic syndromes associated with UC-OGC have been reported; therefore, our case is novel.…”