Squamous cell carcinoma of the lung presenting with cutaneous leukocytoclastic vasculitis - A case report

An elderly patient with paraneoplastic cutaneous leukocytoclastic vasculiti s (CLV) leading to the discovery of an as-yet asymptomatic, potentially sur gically curable squamous cell carcinoma of the lung is presented. This type of vasculitis has not been previously described in association with this t ype of lung cancer. Since vasculitic paraneoplastic syndromes, including CL V, may develop before the clinical presentation of malignant tumors, the pr esent case and others previously reported strongly suggest that in apparent ly idiopathic CLV, patients should be evaluated for the presence of occult malignancy that could be curable by early detection.