A study on the cutaneous manifestations of patients with internal malignancy attending a cancer center in Kanyakumari District

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background: </strong>Cutaneous metastasis from an internal malignancy is rare and usually occurs at the later stages. Cutaneous changes may also be the presenting feature of some underlying malignancies. To determine the frequency of cutaneous manifestations in cancer patients attending the Cancer centre of Sree Mookambika Institute of Medical Sciences, Kanyakumari.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> This was a prospective hospital-based study. 218 patients with malignancies involving various organs, attending the Cancer Centre of Sree Mookambika Institute of Medical Sciences, Kanyakumari, were recorded for a period of 6 months from October 2020 to February 2021. Approval from the Institutional research ethical committee was obtained.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results: </strong>In our study, the most common non-specific cutaneous manifestation was generalized pruritis, observed in 17.88% of the patients, followed by acquired ichthyosis in 12.38% of the patients, and herpes zoster in 11.46% of the patients. Specific cutaneous manifestations included cutaneous metastatic infiltrates, observed in 5.04% of the patients.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Skin metastases may herald the recurrence of a malignancy after treatment and usually indicate a poor prognosis.</p>

A study on the cutaneous manifestations of an internal malignancy in a tertiary care center in North India

Introduction: Cutaneous metastases may precede a malignancy and, in other cases, herald the recurrence of a malignancy after surgery. Aim: To determine the significance of cutaneous manifestations in patients with an internal malignancy and to observe the various types of carcinomas in patients attending a dermatology OPD. Methods: This was a prospective hospital-based study undertaken to observe the cutaneous features in a dermatology OPD in patients coming from the oncology department of a medical college. Results: The commonest malignancy in males was a lung carcinoma, observed in 5.50% of the patients, followed by a prostate carcinoma, observed in 4.58% of the patients, an esophagus carcinoma, observed in 4.12% of the patients, and a penis carcinoma, observed in 2.29% of the patients. Specific cutaneous manifestations included cutaneous metastatic infiltrates, observed in 5.04% of the patients, and carcinoma erysipeloides, observed in 1.37% of the patients. Discussion: Skin metastases may herald the recurrence of a malignancy after treatment and usually indicate a poor prognosis.

Erythema ab igne masking cutaneous metastasis of colorectal adenocarcinoma

Skin metastasis commonly manifest as subcutaneous or intradermal violaceous nodules that coalesce with a firm rubbery appearance. Few cases reported an erythema ab igne-like appearance in the presence of internal malignancy. We report a case of metastatic colorectal adenocarcinoma with erythema ab igne-like presentation. We also review cases of erythema ab igne in association with internal malignancy.

Colorectal Metastasis from Ovarian Neoplasm Mimicking Primary Colon Cancer

Metastasis to the colon from another primary internal malignancy is an untypical and a seldom reported entity. Direct visualization during colonoscopy is considered the gold standard of diagnosis. Pathologic diagnosis with immunohistochemical staining is essential to differentiate primary colorectal malignancy from secondary metastasis to the colon. We, hereby, present a case of a 53-year-old female status-post resection of left-sided papillary serous ovarian neoplasm who presented 2 years later with a single rectosigmoid intraluminal ulcerative mass imitating a primary colon cancer. Biopsies of the mass were consistent with metastasis from her primary ovarian carcinoma. We believe this case is unique because of the rarity of ovarian cancer metastasizing to the colon intraluminally rather than through direct locoregional invasion. Furthermore, it highlights the importance of considering secondary metastasis in patients with previous history of another primary internal malignancy.

Sebaceoma of the External Auditory Canal

Sebaceomas of the external auditory canal (EAC) are extremely rare. The recognition of sebaceoma is important as this benign tumor can be be part of the spectrum of the Muir-Torre syndrome (MTS), which is associated with visceral malignancy and multiple adenomatous polyps. Proper histological identification is thus important for further investigation. We describe a rare case of a sebaceoma that was confined to the EAC. Subsequent immunohistochemical (IHC) staining analysis of the mismatch repair genes (MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, and PMS2) was needed to investigate MTS. Even though the patient has had the history of colon cancer, the result was negative. Otorhinolaryngologists should be aware of rare sebaceoma and its potential association with the internal malignancy, besides the limitation of IHC screening test.

Acrokeratosis paraneoplastica (Bazex syndrome) as the presenting sign of pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Acrokeratosis paraneoplastica (Bazex syndrome) is a rare paraneoplastic skin condition characterised by acral psoriasiform plaques, with a predilection for the nose, ears, hands and feet. It typically presents before the discovery of an internal malignancy and is often misdiagnosed as an inflammatory dermatitis that does not respond to treatment. It is associated with squamous cell carcinoma of the aerodigestive tract and lung, as well as adenocarcinoma of the lung, colon and gastrum. Here, we describe the second reported case of Bazex syndrome in the setting of pancreatic adenocarcinoma and the first such case in a patient of African ancestry.