Aims of the study: In the 214 polymyositis / dermatomyositis patients in our department we studied the association of polymyositis / dermatomyositis with malignant tumors, the clinical specificities and therapeutic response changes in these cases.
Methods: Retrospective analysis of the data available since 1985 of the patients treated at the DEOEC 3(rd) Department of Internal Medicine.
Results: From 60 patients with dermatomyositis 9 were diagnosed with neoplasia. In 5 patients simultaneously with the dermatomyositis diagnosis, in the other 4 patients 2-2-3-7 years after the onset of dermatomyositis. In the 154 patients with polymyositis we did not observe development of tumors.
Conclusions: Neoplasm was observed in 15% of patients with dermatomyositis. The patients presented with serious skin involvement which did not respond well to the dermatomyositis treatment. The patients in whom tumors developed simultaneously with the dermatomyositis required more aggressive treatment. After the therapy of the tumor (surgery, radiotherapy), the skin and muscle symptoms responded better to the immunosuppressive therapy.