Diagnosis and treatment of cutaneous paraneoplastic disorders

Abstract

The skin plays a critical role in the detection of internal malignances. Cutaneous signs of these disorders afford clinicians opportunities for early diagnosis and treatment. We aim to succinctly review the recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of selected cutaneous paraneoplastic diseases. Skin disorders that may be associated with paraneoplastic syndromes include: cutaneous metastases, tripe palms, Sweet's syndrome, glucagonoma, Paget's disease and extramammary Paget's disease, acanthosis nigricans, Birt-Hogg-Dube syndrome, basal cell nevus syndrome, Bazex syndrome (acrokeratosis paraneoplastica), carcinoid syndrome, Cowden's disease(multiple hamartoma syndrome), dermatomyositis, erythema gyratum repens, ichthyosis aquisita, von Recklinghausen's disease, pityriasis rotunda, pyoderma gangrenosum, Quincke's edema (angioedema and paraneoplastic uricaria), paraneoplastic pemphigus, Degos' disease, superior vena cava syndrome, Werner's syndrome, diffuse normolipemic plane xanthomas, and yellow nail syndrome. Treatment for these disorders depends on the nature and anatomic distribution of the primary neoplastic process.