D Berkovic1, C Hallermann. 1. Department of Internal Medicine, University Clinic Göttingen, Germany. berkovic@gmx.de
Abstract
BACKGROUND: On rare occasions tumours of the pancreas produce high amounts of pancreatic lipase. The enzyme activity in the blood and in different tissues causes a syndrome called nodular panniculitis by focal necrosis of lipids and a concomittant inflammatory reaction. CASE REPORT: A 72-year-old man was admitted to the dermatology clinic with the diagnosis of erythema nodosum. The patient had been well until 3 months earlier when painful red nodes developed on the skin of both shanks. He complained of profuse night sweating and a weight loss of 10 kg within that time but did not have fever. He also had noticed a painful swelling of his right index finger, left middle finger and the third toe on his left foot. Biopsy of the nodes revealed a focal necrosis of fatty tissue. Laboratory examinations showed a highly elevated concentration of serum pancreatic lipase. Further investigations showed a tumour in the pancreas and several osteolytic lesions. Tumour biopsy revealed a neuroendocrine carcinoma. After tumour resection serum lipase level immediately fell to almost normal values, and all skin and bone manifestations disappeared quickly. CONCLUSION: Due to its clinical appearance the panniculitis syndrome is most often mistaken for either erythema nodosum or rheumatoid arthritis. A resection of the tumour after correct diagnosis should always be considered because the widespread manifestations in the skin and bones do not represent distant metastasis and have a very good chance to dissolve completely. Copyright 2003 S. Karger GmbH, Freiburg
BACKGROUND: On rare occasions tumours of the pancreas produce high amounts of pancreatic lipase. The enzyme activity in the blood and in different tissues causes a syndrome called nodular panniculitis by focal necrosis of lipids and a concomittant inflammatory reaction. CASE REPORT: A 72-year-old man was admitted to the dermatology clinic with the diagnosis of erythema nodosum. The patient had been well until 3 months earlier when painful red nodes developed on the skin of both shanks. He complained of profuse night sweating and a weight loss of 10 kg within that time but did not have fever. He also had noticed a painful swelling of his right index finger, left middle finger and the third toe on his left foot. Biopsy of the nodes revealed a focal necrosis of fatty tissue. Laboratory examinations showed a highly elevated concentration of serum pancreatic lipase. Further investigations showed a tumour in the pancreas and several osteolytic lesions. Tumour biopsy revealed a neuroendocrine carcinoma. After tumour resection serum lipase level immediately fell to almost normal values, and all skin and bone manifestations disappeared quickly. CONCLUSION: Due to its clinical appearance the panniculitis syndrome is most often mistaken for either erythema nodosum or rheumatoid arthritis. A resection of the tumour after correct diagnosis should always be considered because the widespread manifestations in the skin and bones do not represent distant metastasis and have a very good chance to dissolve completely. Copyright 2003 S. Karger GmbH, Freiburg
Authors: Sebastian Zundler; Ramona Erber; Abbas Agaimy; Arndt Hartmann; Franklin Kiesewetter; Deike Strobel; Markus F Neurath; Dane Wildner Journal: BMC Cancer Date: 2016-02-20 Impact factor: 4.430