Dermatomyositis associated with fallopian tube carcinoma

Dermatomyositis (DM) is an idiopathic inflammatory myopathy associated with characteristic cutaneous and extracutaneous manifestations, including mali gnancy. Primary fallopian tube carcinoma (FTC) is the least common site of origin for a malignant neoplasm of the female genital tract. This report de scribes the first documented case of DM and concurrent FTC in the United St ates. A 62-year-old woman presented with DM and was subsequently found to h ave FTC. During her clinical course, she had improvement in strength and fu nction with treatment of the underlying FTC, which also correlated with low er creatinine phosphokinase levels. An association between DM and FTC may e xist because of significant functional strength improvements after tumor re moval and chemotherapy. (C) 1998 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.