Dermatomyositis as a paraneoplastic syndrome associated with head and neck tumors: Case series and literature review

The clinical characteristics of Dermatomyositis (DM) are weakness and pain of proximal muscles as well as inflammatory skin manifestations such as purple erythema around the eyes and on the trunk. Dermatomyositis is associated with a tumor in 17 to 23%. In Europe tumors of the lung, the gynecological and gastrointestinal tract are the most commonly associated malignancies with DM as a paraneoplastic syndrome. In Asia nasopharynx cancer is the leading malignancy that is accompanied by DM.

After systematical retrospective analysis of patients medical records at an university hospital between 2005 and 2018 we found six patients with DM and an ENT tumor in their medical history: Four patients with a tumor of the tonsil, one patient with a nasopharynx tumor and for the first time one patient with a parotideal malignancy.

By systematical literature analysis regarding dermatomyositis and ENT tumors we found 400 cases: The tumor originated the nasopharynx in 393 cases, the tonsil in 5 cases and the hypopharynx in 2 cases.

This work contains a systematical comparison regarding diagnostic, therapy and outcome of the four cases with DM and tonsillar carcinoma at our hospital and the five cases from the literature.

By case analysis and literature review we can draw conclusions about the etiopathogenesis as well for better diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for ENT tumors with dermatomyositis.

Publication History

Publication Date:
23 April 2019 (online)