A Case of Polymyositis Associated with Early Gastric Cancer and Early Sigmoid Colon Cancer

Yoshiki Horita, Yuichi Miyamura, Yasutomo Azumi, Yoshihiko Furuya, Yukio Tagashira

Department of Surgery, Kakogawa Prefectural Hospital, Hyogo

The frequent association between polymyositis-dermatomyositis and internal malignancy is quite familiar, and the malignant lesion is usually advanced. A case of polymyositis associated with early gastric and early sigmoid colon cancers is reported. A 63-year-old man was diagnosed with polymyositis in 1985 and subsequently examined for malignancy once a year. In September 1990, elevated CEA and CA19-9 values were detected, and early gastric and early sigmoid colon cancers were discovered. Partial gastrectomy and partial sigmoidectomy were performed, and the patients' CEA and CA19-9 values decreased to within normal limits. This is a very rare case, and it appears that yearly examination for malignancy was responsible for the early detection of the gastric and colon cancers. Thus, examinations for malignancy should be carried out at least once a year after a diagnosis of polymyositis is made.

Key words
polymyositis associated with double cancer, early gastric cancer, early sigmoid colon cancer

Reprint requests
Yoshiki Horita Department of Surgery, Kakogawa Prefectural Hospital, Hyogo
770-1 Kakogawa-cho, Kakogawa, 675 JAPAN

Accepted
March 11, 1992

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