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Successful cure of dermatomyositis after treatment of nonseminomatous testicular cancer
Author(s) -
YOSHINAGA ATSUSHI,
HAYASHI TETSUO,
ISHII NOBUYUKI,
OHNO RENA,
WATANABE TORU,
YAMADA TAKUMI
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
international journal of urology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.172
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1442-2042
pISSN - 0919-8172
DOI - 10.1111/j.1442-2042.2005.01105.x
Subject(s) - medicine , dermatomyositis , human chorionic gonadotropin , testicular cancer , cancer , etoposide , seminoma , ovarian cancer , chemotherapy , oncology , hormone
Although the association between dermatomyositis and cancer is well recognized, there have been a limited number of reports of dermatomyositis associated with testicular cancer. We report the case of a 31‐year‐old man who was diagnosed with dermatomyositis. Because the patient's serum levels of α−fetoprotein and human chorionic gonadotropin beta subunit were elevated, the patient was referred to our department. Physical examination revealed an induration (2 cm × 2 cm) in the left testis and the patient was diagnosed with stage IIIB left testicular cancer. A left high orchidectomy was then performed, and pathological examination revealed embryonal carcinoma. The patient was started on a systemic chemotherapeutic (etoposide, ifosfamide and cisplatin; VIP) regimen. After the third chemotherapy session, metastases had completely disappeared, the serum levels of α−fetoprotein and human chorionic gonadotropin beta subunit had normalized and the dermatomyositis symptoms had improved. Cancer is known to be a trigger of dermatomyositis. This case illustrates the importance of palpation of the testes in young patients with dermatomyositis.