Paraneoplastic pyoderma gangrenosum associated with adenocarcinoma of the rectosigmoid junction: a case report

Abstract Introduction Pyoderma gangrenosum is a rare, idiopathic, inflammatory, neutrophilic dermatitis characterized by sterile skin ulceration. It can be associated with an underlying pathology, especially inflammatory bowel disease and hematological malignancies. Its association with a malignant pathology in the context of a paraneoplastic syndrome is more commonly described in hematological malignancies, with solid tumors being rare. Case report We report a case of a 39-year-old West African man with pyoderma gangrenosum that developed 6 months before the clinical expression of rectosigmoid junction cancer. The removal of the cancer resulted in the patient’s recovery. Conclusion Recurrent pyoderma gangrenosum lesions may be the expression of colonic adenocarcinoma in paraneoplastic syndrome and require colonoscopy, especially in at-risk patients.