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

Abstract

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.