Cutaneous manifestations in patients with haematological malignancy: a single-centre Egyptian study

Background Systemic chemotherapy or radiotherapy may produce several cutaneous manifestations. An awareness of possible associations between internal malignancies and cutaneous manifestations is therefore important in the diagnosis and management of cancer. Objective In the present work, assessment of the prevalence of cutaneous manifestations in patients with haematological malignancy was performed. Patients and methods A total of 160 patients diagnosed with haematological malignancies were subjected to full history taking, cutaneous examination and photography of positive clinical findings, routine laboratory investigations, regional body imaging and bone marrow aspiration analysis. Biopsy, pathology and immunophenotyping of cutaneous lesions were performed when needed. Results Cutaneous manifestations occurred in 73 cases (45.6%) with infections being the most common and cutaneous lymphoma/leukaemia the least common. Side effects of chemotherapy affected 43 patients, the commonest being anagen effluvium (19 patients). Mucocutaneous side effects of radiotherapy were present in five of the eight cases (62.5%) in the form of erythema, ulceration and pigmentation, and this was statistically significant (P 0.001). Conclusion Mucocutaneous manifestations were found in 45.6% of patients with haematological malignancy mainly in the form of infections. Side effects of chemotherapy were mainly in the form of anagen effluvium, whereas those due to radiotherapy were significantly more common but were mild and well tolerated.