Paraneoplastic subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus

Subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SCLE) is a subtype of cutaneous lupus erythematosus characterized by high photosensitivity, the occurrence of annular or papulosquamous skin lesions located in body regions exposed to UV light, the presence of anti-Ro/SS-A antibodies, and mild systemic involvement, such as arthralgia and myalgia. Similar to other subtypes of cutaneous lupus erythematosus, certain trigger factors exist for the development of SCLE, such as exposure to UV light, cigarette smoking and drugs. Rheumatic diseases, such as dermatomyositis, have been known as paraneoplastic syndromes for a long time. In recent years, there has been an accumulation of publications on the association of SCLE with malignant diseases. This article reports the case of a 78-year-old female patient who was diagnosed with the concomitant development of SCLE and gastric carcinoma. In all older patients with SCLE, patients with widespread skin affection outside the UV-exposed body areas or patients with B-symptoms, the presence of a paraneoplastic SCLE should be considered and appropriate diagnostic steps should be initiated to screen for an associated neoplastic disease.

Automated summary

SCLE is a subtype of cutaneous lupus erythematosus characterized by high photosensitivity, specific skin lesions, presence of antibodies, and mild systemic involvement. It can be triggered by factors such as UV light, smoking, and drugs, and has been increasingly associated with malignant diseases in recent studies.