A Case of Dermatomyositis Associated with Thyroid Cancer / 대한류마티스학회지

ABSTRACT

Dermatomyositis is an autoimmune connective tissue disorder characterized by symmetrical proximal muscle weakness due to chronic inflammation and degeneration of skeletal muscle. Cancer occurs in patients with dermatomyositis with a frequency estimated between 15~20%. The common sites of malignancy are stomach, breast, ovary, lung and etc. The cases that have been reported so far are dermatomyositis associated with lymphoproliferative disorder and cancer of colon, liver, pancrease, pharynx, uterine cervix, testis, kidney. But dermatomyositis associated with thyroid cancer has not been reported in Korea. We, the authors, experienced a case of dermatomyositis associated with the thyroid cancer and as such we are reporting the case with literature reviews.