Scleroderma in a child after chemotherapy for cancer

The association of malignancy with scleroderma is very rare in childhood. A 13-year-old girl was diagnosed as having thymic carcinoma and received sys temic chemotherapy? She presented with symptoms of Raynaud's phenomenon 9 m onths after the cessation of chemotherapy. She also had difficulty in swall owing. Based on the presence of Raynaud's phenomenon, characteristic skin c hanges over the face and hands, oesophageal involvement and pulmonary, rest rictive defect demonstrated by pulmonary function tests, the diagnosis of g eneralised scleroderma,vcrs established. There was no evidence of tumor rec urrence. Although she was treated with penicillamine and prednisolone, no s ignificant improvement was achieved in her condition during the 14-month fo llow up.