[Paraneoplastic acrokeratosis].

Paraneoplastic acrokeratosis is a distinctive dermatosis observed only in patients with either carcinoma of the upper respiratory and digestive tract or with metastatic lymphnodes in the cervical or mediastinal region. The characteristics of this dermatosis are: acral beginning, erythematous, squamous and hyperkeratotic plaques with centripedal spreading and healing only after successful treatment of the carcinoma. An allergic or toxic skin reaction to a substance formed by the tumor cells is discussed as causative agent. The author gives a review of the symptoms, the course of the disease, of histological and biochemical data and of the differential diagnosis as reported in the literature.