oa Hypertrichosis associated with malignancy: case report and review of the literature

A case report of an 80 year old woman with squamous cell carcinoma of the bronchus presenting with the rare Paraneoplastic cutaneous sign of acquired hypertrichosis lanuginosa, and a review of the literature on acquired hypertrichosis associated with malignancy by searching the database Medline (since 1966) and hand searching the Index Medicus (1903-1965). Fifty three case reports of hypertrichosis associated with malignancy were found. Sixteen of these described an association with carcinoma of lhe bronchus. Since1970 one case report per year has been Published. It was concluded that hypertrichosis is a rare but important cutaneous sign of malignancy. Despite a large number of case reports the suspected cause, a hormone, remains to be found.