Severe Paraneoplastic Dermatomyositis in a Patient With High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer.

Background: Paraneoplastic dermatomyositis following a diagnosis of ovarian cancer is rare. There are very few cases reported on the management of severe forms.

Case: We report the case of a 50-year-old woman diagnosed with stage IIIC high-grade serous ovarian cancer and a severe form of paraneoplastic dermatomyositis requiring mechanical ventilation. She had significant comorbidities further adding to the complexity of the chemotherapy regimen. Intravenous immunoglobulin and corticosteroids were also administered. The dermatomyositis remained poorly controlled, and the patient was ultimately referred to palliative care.

Conclusion: The necessity to treat the underlying neoplasia creates a fine balance between the aggressive treatments required and the clinical state of the patient. Multidisciplinary collaboration is warranted to offer best management.