Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2010 Nov-Dec;23(6):590-6.
doi: 10.1111/j.1529-8019.2010.01366.x.

Chronic pruritus: a paraneoplastic sign

Gil Yosipovitch  1
Affiliations
Review

Chronic pruritus: a paraneoplastic sign

Gil Yosipovitch. Dermatol Ther. 2010 Nov-Dec.

Abstract

Chronic itch could be a presenting sign of malignancy. Pruritus of lymphoma is the common prototype of paraneoplastic itch and can precede other clinical signs by weeks and months. Paraneoplastic pruritus has also been associated with solid tumors and is an important clinical symptom in paraneoplastic skin diseases such as erythroderma, Grovers disease, malignant acanthosis nigricans, generalized granuloma annulare, Bazex syndrome, and dermatomyositis. In any case with high index of suspicion a thorough work-up is required. This review highlights the association between itch and malignancy and presents new findings related to pathophysiological mechanisms and the treatment of itch associated with malignancy. Combinative therapies reducing itch sensitization and transmission using selective serotonin and neuroepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, Kappa opioids, and neuroleptics are of prime importance in reducing this bothersome symptom.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Therapeutic ladder of treatment of pruritus in lymphoma.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Yosipovitch G, Greaves MW. Definitions of itch. In: Yosipovitch G, Greaves MW, Fleischer AB, McGlone F, editors. Itch: basic mechanisms and therapy. Marcel Dekker; New York: 2004. p. 2.
    1. Wang H, Yosipovitch G. New Insights into the pathophysiology of chronic itch in patients with end stage renal failure, chronic liver disease and lymphoma. Int J Dermatol. 2010;49:1–12. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Hiramanek N. Itch: a symptom of occult disease. Aust Fam Physician. 2004 Jul;33(7):495–9. - PubMed
    1. Gobbi PG, Attardo-Parrinello G, Lattanzio G, et al. Severe pruritus should be a B-symptom in Hodgkin's disease. Cancer. 1983;51:1934–1936. - PubMed
    1. Kumar SS, Kuruvilla M, Pai GS, et al. Cutaneous manifestations of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 2003 Jan-Feb;69(1):12–5. - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms