[Thorns in hands, think in spiny keratoderma]

Medicina (B Aires). 2024;84(5):979-982.
[Article in Spanish]

Abstract

Spiny keratoderma is a rare dermatological manifestation that occurs sporadically or hereditarily. These are millimetric hyperkeratotic lesions on the palms and/or soles, usually asymptomatic. Histopathologically, they consist of well-defined columns of parakeratosis on a thinned stratum corneum. Sporadic cases can be associated with chronic diseases or neoplasms. We present a case of palmar spiny keratoderma in a man in the seventh decade of life with cirrhosis due to primary sclerosing cholangitis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. He had remission of the skin lesions two months after performing a liver transplant. This behavior favors the interpretation of spiny keratoderma as a paraneoplastic manifestation of hepatocellular carcinoma. We have not found previous reports of spiny keratoderma from Argentina. We review the literature on this entity.

La queratodermia espinosa palmar es una manifestación dermatológica infrecuente que se presenta de forma esporádica o hereditaria. Se trata de lesiones hiperqueratósicas milimétricas en palmas y/o plantas, habitualmente asintomáticas. Histopatológicamente consisten en columnas de paraqueratosis bien delimitadas sobre un estrato córneo adelgazado. Los casos esporádicos se pueden asociar a enfermedades crónicas o neoplasias. Presentamos un caso de queratodermia espinosa palmar en un hombre en la séptima década de la vida con cirrosis secundaria a colangitis esclerosante primaria y hepatocarcinoma. Presentó remisión de las lesiones cutáneas a los dos meses de realizarse un trasplante hepático. Este comportamiento favorece la interpretación de la queratodermia espinosa como manifestación paraneoplásica del hepatocarcinoma. No hemos encontrado informes previos de queratodermia espinosa en Argentina. Realizamos una revisión de la literatura sobre esta entidad.

Keywords: hepatocellular carcinoma; paraneoplastic syndrome; spiny keratoderma.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / pathology
  • Cholangitis, Sclerosing / complications
  • Cholangitis, Sclerosing / pathology
  • Humans
  • Keratoderma, Palmoplantar* / etiology
  • Keratoderma, Palmoplantar* / pathology
  • Liver Cirrhosis / complications
  • Liver Neoplasms / complications
  • Liver Neoplasms / pathology
  • Liver Transplantation
  • Male
  • Paraneoplastic Syndromes / etiology