Dermatomyositis Associated With Breast Cancer: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Dermatomyositis (DM) is a connective tissue disease characterized by specific inflammatory lesions in muscle biopsy. An increased risk of underlying malignancy has been found in patients with DM. The common cancers associated with DM include ovarian cancer, lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, melanoma, colon cancer, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, stomach cancer and breast cancer. The association between DM and breast cancer has not been fully evaluated. We present the case of a 58-year-old female patient with DM diagnosed to be suffering from breast cancer. A literature review revealed that the association of dermatomyositis with breast cancer is rare and consistent with poor prognosis. Turk J Phys Med Re-hab 2012;58:246-8.