Palmar fasciitis and arthritis: association with endometrial adenocarcinoma

A 74-year-old woman was referred because of rheumatic symptoms consisting of pain, swelling of the hands, contracture and flexion of the fingers and severe palmar erythrosis. One year earlier she had undergone a total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH) for uterine adenocarcinoma. A paraneoplastic syndrome with palmar fasciitis and arthritis was then suspected and an evolutive peritoneal carcinomatosis was confirmed by abdominal CT scan. The patient was first treated with hormonal therapy (progestagen) and then with chemotherapy. This, associated with calcitonin, corticosteroids and physiotherapy, allowed a temporary recovery, but the patient died 10 months later from progressive peritoneal carcinomatosis.