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Cassalia F, Bolzon A, Ponzano M, Ventura L, Danese A, Del Fiore P, Belloni Fortina A, Jovine E, Perri G, Cillo U, Marchegiani G. The Importance of Reading the Skin: Cutaneous Metastases of Pancreatic Cancer, a Systematic Review. J Clin Med 2023; 13:104. [PMID: 38202111 PMCID: PMC10779471 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13010104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pancreatic cancer is notorious for its aggressive nature and low survival rate, with less than 10% of patients surviving beyond five years. Early detection is difficult, but skin metastases can be a rare but significant indicator. This systematic review focuses on the epidemiology, clinical features, and histology of skin metastases from pancreatic cancer to determine their importance in early diagnosis and overall management of the disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS Following PRISMA guidelines, we conducted an exhaustive search of MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, and SCOPUS databases up to June 2023, using specific keywords. Four independent investigators screened the studies using predefined criteria, and two investigators checked the accuracy and consistency of the data extraction. We assessed the quality of the trials using adapted criteria from the Joanna Briggs Institute. A narrative synthesis rather than a meta-analysis was chosen because of the different study designs. RESULTS The final analysis included 57 patients with skin metastases from pancreatic cancer. Cutaneous metastases, although rare, presented with approximately equal gender distribution and a mean age of 63.4 years. Predominantly non-umbilical (77%), these metastases showed clinical diversity, ranging from asymptomatic nodules to painful or ulcerated lesions. Notably, skin metastases often preceded the diagnosis of primary pancreatic cancer (58%). Primary tumor characteristics revealed different localizations, with adenocarcinoma being the most prevalent histological type (77%). A significant association (p = 0.008) was observed between pancreatic tumor location and the timing of presentation of skin metastases. Tumors located in the body and tail of the pancreas were more likely to manifest skin metastases as an initial clinical manifestation (62.2%) than those in the head of the pancreas (20.8%). CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, although skin metastases are rare, they are important indicators of pancreatic cancer, highlighting the need for multidisciplinary healthcare collaboration and thorough skin examination. Recognizing them could lead to earlier diagnosis, which is crucial in a cancer with limited treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fortunato Cassalia
- Dermatology Unit, Department of Medicine [DIMED], University of Padua, 35121 Padua, Italy; (F.C.); (A.B.); (M.P.); (A.B.F.)
| | - Anna Bolzon
- Dermatology Unit, Department of Medicine [DIMED], University of Padua, 35121 Padua, Italy; (F.C.); (A.B.); (M.P.); (A.B.F.)
| | - Monica Ponzano
- Dermatology Unit, Department of Medicine [DIMED], University of Padua, 35121 Padua, Italy; (F.C.); (A.B.); (M.P.); (A.B.F.)
| | - Laura Ventura
- Department of Statistics, University of Padua, 35121 Padova, Italy;
| | - Andrea Danese
- Section of Dermatology and Venereology, Department of Medicine, University of Verona, 37129 Verona, Italy;
| | - Paolo Del Fiore
- Soft-Tissue, Peritoneum and Melanoma Surgical Oncology Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV-IRCCS, 35128 Padua, Italy;
| | - Anna Belloni Fortina
- Dermatology Unit, Department of Medicine [DIMED], University of Padua, 35121 Padua, Italy; (F.C.); (A.B.); (M.P.); (A.B.F.)
- Department of Woman’s and Children’s Health, University of Padua, 35121 Padua, Italy
| | - Elio Jovine
- Department of General Surgery, IRCCS, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Maggiore Hospital, 40133 Bologna, Italy;
| | - Giampaolo Perri
- Department of General Surgery, IRCCS, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Maggiore Hospital, 40133 Bologna, Italy;
- Hepatopancreatobiliary and Liver Surgery, Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology DiSCOG, University of Padua, 35121 Padua, Italy; (G.P.); (U.C.)
| | - Umberto Cillo
- Hepatopancreatobiliary and Liver Surgery, Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology DiSCOG, University of Padua, 35121 Padua, Italy; (G.P.); (U.C.)
| | - Giovanni Marchegiani
- Hepatopancreatobiliary and Liver Surgery, Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology DiSCOG, University of Padua, 35121 Padua, Italy; (G.P.); (U.C.)
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Weimann ETDS, Botero EB, Mendes C, Santos MASD, Stelini RF, Zelenika CRT. Cutaneous metastasis as the first manifestation of occult malignant breast neoplasia. An Bras Dermatol 2017; 91:105-107. [PMID: 28300911 PMCID: PMC5325010 DOI: 10.1590/abd1806-4841.20164572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2015] [Accepted: 05/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous metastases from primary internal malignancies represent 0.7-9% of
patients with cancer. We report a 65-year-old female patient referred for
evaluation of normochromic papules on the trunk and upper limbs that had been
present for three months. A skin biopsy revealed diffuse cutaneous infiltration
by small round cell tumors. Immunohistochemistry was positive for AE1/AE3, CK7,
estrogen receptor and mammaglobin. The final diagnosis was cutaneous metastasis
of occult breast cancer, since the solid primary tumor was not identified. The
location of the primary tumor can not be determined in 5-10% of cases. In these
cases, 27% are identified before the patient’s death, 57% at autopsy, and the
remaining 16% can not be located.
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Zhou HY, Wang XB, Gao F, Bu B, Zhang S, Wang Z. Cutaneous metastasis from pancreatic cancer: A case report and systematic review of the literature. Oncol Lett 2014; 8:2654-2660. [PMID: 25364444 PMCID: PMC4214468 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2014.2610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2014] [Accepted: 08/15/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous metastasis from pancreatic cancer is uncommon, therefore, the outcome of this progression has rarely been investigated. The aim of the present report was to evaluate the clinical characteristics of patients exhibiting cutaneous metastasis from pancreatic cancer. Thus, the current report presents a rare case of cutaneous metastatic disease from pancreatic cancer and describes a systematic review of the literature. A total of 54 articles comprising 63 cases were included for analysis. The relevant clinical and pathological characteristics, as well as the treatment strategies and survival outcomes of this rare disease presentation were reviewed. The average patient was was aged 63.9 years and males constituted a marginally greater proportion of the cohort (61.9%). The predominant manifestation of the cutaneous metastasis was a nodule or mass (73%) and the most common site of the skin lesion was non-umbilicus rather than umbilicus. The majority (66.7%) of the skin lesions were singular, particularly in patients exhibiting Sister Mary Joseph's nodule (90%). A wide range of histological subtypes presented, with a predominance of adenocarcinoma (84.1%). Of the cases that specified the tumor differentiation grade, 78.2% were moderately or poorly differentiated. Immunohistochemistry revealed that cytokeratin (CK)20-negative, and CK7-, CK19- and carbohydrate antigen (CA)19-9-positive were specific diagnostic markers for pancreatic cancer. Distal metastases, excluding the skin, were observed in 68.3% of patients and the median survival period was 5 months. Treatment strategies including surgery, radiation, chemotherapy or a combination improved survival time from 3.0 to 8.3 months. Cutaneous metastasis from pancreatic cancer is a rare finding, often providing the only external indication of an internal malignancy and, therefore, should be considered in the differential diagnosis of skin lesions. Metastasis to the skin indicates a widespread, general dissemination and a poor prognosis. A combination of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy appears to result in improved survival rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Yan Zhou
- Department of Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Jinan, Shandong 250117, P.R. China
| | - Xian-Bao Wang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272205, P.R. China
| | - Fang Gao
- Department of Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Jinan, Shandong 250117, P.R. China
| | - Bing Bu
- Department of Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Jinan, Shandong 250117, P.R. China
| | - Shu Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Jinan, Shandong 250117, P.R. China
| | - Zhehai Wang
- Department of Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Jinan, Shandong 250117, P.R. China
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