Sweet Syndrome: a paraneoplasic syndrome related to ovarian cancer

Abstract

Background: Paraneoplastic syndromes are rare disorders that are triggered by an altered immune system response to a neoplasm, although exact pathogenesis remains unclear for most cases. Symptoms may occur in any organ or physiological system. Up to 20% of cancer patients can experience paraneoplastic syndromes, but these syndromes are often difficult to recognize. Sweet's syndrome or, acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis, is an uncommon cutaneous inflammatory disorder characterized by the abrupt appearance of painful, edematous and erythematous papules, plaques or nodules on the skin. These lesions typically show an upper dermal infiltrate of mature neutrophils. Fever and leukocytosis are also frequently present. In addition, involvement of the eyes, musculoskeletal system and internal organs may occur. Methods and Results: We report a case of a 57-year-old woman in which Sweet Syndrome precedes and heralds the diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Conclusion: Sweet syndrome may precede, follow or appear concurrently with a malignancy. The search for a neoplasm should be emphasized in patients with Sweet syndrome without a prior diagnosis of malignancy