A Rare Combination of Dermatomyositis, Interstitial Pneumonia, and Lung Cancer in a Patient Treated with Immunosuppressive Therapy and Chemotherapy

Intern Med. 2018 Mar 15;57(6):849-853. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.9642-17. Epub 2017 Dec 8.

Abstract

We herein report the rare case of co-occurring dermatomyositis (DM), interstitial pneumonia (IP), and lung cancer in a 59-year-old man. Computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography-CT showed the presence of a left lung tumor with IP, which was diagnosed as lung adenocarcinoma by a CT-guided tumor biopsy. We diagnosed DM based on the presence of myalgia, Gottron's papules, and anti-aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase antibody positivity in the patient. Co-occurrence of the above-mentioned three diseases is rare, and acute exacerbation of IP is a major cause of death in such cases. These patients can be treated with immunosuppressive therapy followed by chemotherapy.

Keywords: dermatomyositis; interstitial pneumonia; lung cancer.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / diagnostic imaging
  • Adenocarcinoma / therapy*
  • Adenocarcinoma of Lung
  • Comorbidity
  • Dermatomyositis / diagnostic imaging
  • Dermatomyositis / therapy*
  • Drug Therapy / methods*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy / methods*
  • Lung / pathology*
  • Lung Diseases, Interstitial / diagnostic imaging
  • Lung Diseases, Interstitial / therapy*
  • Lung Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Lung Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Treatment Outcome