Co-existence of pemphigus, anti-skeletal muscle antibody and a retroperitoneal paraganglioma

Abstract

Occasional reports have appeared in the literature describing a relationship between pemphigus vulgaris and malignancy (Krain & Bierman, 1974; Tagami et al., 1976). Carcinoma of the ovary, stomach, breast, endometrium and bronchus have all been associated with pemphigus (Krain, 1974). The association between pemphigus and thymoma is well known (Stillmand & Baer, 1972). Pemphigus has also been described in connection with various lymphoproliferative malignancies (Naysmith & Hancock, 1976). The purpose of this paper is to describe a patient who suffered from a rare retroperitoneal tumour in association with pemphigus vulgaris. His serum contained a high titre of anti-skeletal muscle antibody, although he showed no clinical manifestations of myasthenia gravis. He also had immunological manifestations suggestive of lupus erythematosus.