Paraneoplastic Dermatomyositis with Severe Itching / 대한피부과학회지

ABSTRACT

Dermatomyositis (DM) is an idiopathic inflammatory myopathy characterized by typical cutaneous manifestation and inflammation of the skeletal muscles. However, this progressive symmetric proximal muscle weakness may be minimal or absent in clinically amyopathic DM (CADM). Importantly, DM has been associated with malignancy, which is related to poor prognosis. Therefore, every newly diagnosed patient with DM should undergo thorough screening investigations for hidden internal malignancy. We report a case of CADM, with severe intractable itching, which was finally diagnosed as paraneoplastic dermatomyositis associated with gastric cancer in a 77-year-old woman. The patient had typical cutaneous features of DM and mild elevation of muscle enzymes without muscle weakness.