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Palmar fasciitis and polyarthritis syndrome associated with non-small-cell lung carcinoma

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Abstract

A 56-year-old man presented with pain and stiffness in both shoulders and developed severe, rapidly progressive contractures of the fingers. Examination revealed subcutaneous thickening in both palms with fixed flexion deformities of all digits except the thumbs. Initial investigations including a malignancy screen were all normal/negative. Eighteen months later, he was diagnosed with metastatic non-small-cell lung carcinoma. Although rare, palmar fasciitis and polyarthritis syndrome is an important paraneoplastic syndrome for rheumatologists to be aware of, as the musculoskeletal symptoms may precede neoplastic manifestations by many months and may improve with appropriate treatment.

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Acknowledgements

Claire Sheehy is in receipt of an unrestricted grant from Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. The other authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Rheumatology, Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, Ireland

    Claire Sheehy, John G. Ryan & Maurice Barry

  2. St. Francis Hospital, Mullingar, Westmeath, Ireland

    Michael Kelly

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  1. Claire Sheehy
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  2. John G. Ryan
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  3. Michael Kelly
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  4. Maurice Barry
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Correspondence to Claire Sheehy.

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Sheehy, C., Ryan, J.G., Kelly, M. et al. Palmar fasciitis and polyarthritis syndrome associated with non-small-cell lung carcinoma. Clin Rheumatol 26, 1951–1953 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-007-0582-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-007-0582-5

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