Subject(s)
Melanoma , Skin Neoplasms , Humans , Lower Extremity , Melanoma/complications , Melanoma/diagnosis , Skin Neoplasms/complications , Skin Neoplasms/diagnosis , Syndrome , UlcerABSTRACT
It is important to recognize paraneoplastic dermatoses because they allow the practitioner to begin an early, directed workup to detect an underlying malignant neoplasm. In this review, several paraneoplastic dermatoses are outlined using existing data to detail each one's association with underlying malignancy, demographics, prognosis, and treatment considerations.
Subject(s)
Neoplasms/diagnosis , Paraneoplastic Syndromes/diagnosis , Skin Diseases/diagnosis , Dermatology , Dermatomyositis/diagnosis , Dermatomyositis/etiology , Gastrointestinal Neoplasms/complications , Gastrointestinal Neoplasms/diagnosis , Hematologic Neoplasms/complications , Hematologic Neoplasms/diagnosis , Humans , Lung Neoplasms/complications , Lung Neoplasms/diagnosis , Neoplasms/complications , POEMS Syndrome/diagnosis , Paraneoplastic Syndromes/etiology , Skin Diseases/etiology , Sweet Syndrome/diagnosis , Sweet Syndrome/etiologyABSTRACT
Red patches and plaques of the vulva may be manifestations of neoplasms, infections, or inflammatory skin diseases. These diseases can mimic one another clinically; features that generally allow the diseases to be identified on most cutaneous surfaces can be altered in the moist, occluded vulvar environment, making clinical diagnosis difficult. A detailed history and thorough physical examination can point to the likely diagnosis, but biopsy and culture may be needed for diagnosis especially in refractory disease. It is not uncommon for several of these processes to be present concomitantly or complicating other vulvar diseases.
Subject(s)
Dermatitis/diagnosis , Exanthema/diagnosis , Vulva/pathology , Vulvar Diseases/diagnosis , Dermatitis/etiology , Exanthema/etiology , Female , Humans , Vulvar Neoplasms/diagnosisABSTRACT
Three patients with refractory pemphigus vulgaris improved after rituximab, an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody directed against B cells. Treatment was well tolerated immediately, but one patient developed fatal pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. Serious infections have occurred in several pemphigus patients treated with rituximab and immunosuppressive medications, warranting further evaluation of risk-benefit ratio.