Reumatizam, Vol. 63 No. 1, 2016.
Professional paper
LONG-TERM GLUCOCORTICOID THERAPY AND THE RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA IN SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS: IS THERE A CONNECTION?
Ivona Božić
Dorotea Božić
Marin Petrić
Katarina Borić
Dušanka Martinović Kaliterna
Abstract
Systemic sclerosis (SSC) is an autoimmune disease associated with the risk of malignancies, especially
lung cancer, among which adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are the most frequent.
A 63-year-old female patient with SSC was hospitalized due to blackouts, poor general condition, and changes in
her fi ngers. Because of subsequent epileptic seizures resulting in weakness of the left side of her body, computerized
tomography (CT) of the neurocranium was performed which showed metastatic lesions. A CT scan of the thoracic
organs displayed pulmonary neoplasia in the right hilum, which were histologically evaluated as grade 2 squamous cell
carcinoma. Aft er one month of hospitalization with supportive therapy, the patient’s clinical condition improved, and she was discharged into home care with recommendations for further oncological treatment. However, the patient died
several days later.
In comparison to adenocarcinomas, squamous cell carcinomas of the lungs usually develop through a signifi cantly
longer period. We consider that the unusually rapid development of the carcinoma in this patient was stimulated by the
immunosuppressive eff ect of high doses of glucocorticoids that she had been taking for several years on her own initiative.
Keywords
Scleroderma, systemic – drug therapy, complications; Glucocorticoids – therapeutic use, pharmacology, adverse eff ects; Immunosuppressive agents – therapeutic use, adverse eff ects; Lung neoplasms – etiology, pathology; Carcinoma, squamous cell – pathology; Pulmonary fi brosis – complications
Hrčak ID:
182809
URI
Publication date:
10.5.2016.
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