Necrolytic migratory erythema with myelodysplastic syndrome without glucagonoma

Necrolytic migratory erythema is a cutaneous paraneoplastic manifestation, which is usually associated with a glucagon-secreting pancreatic tumor. However, it also may occur in other circumstances in which serum glucagon is elevated, as in hepatic cirrhosis. Rarely, necrolytic migratory erythema is reported in association with a jejunal and rectal adenocarcinoma or villous atrophy of the small intestine without any evidence for increased serum glucagon levels. In this context we report the case of an 85-year-old male with myelodysplastic syndrome who developed typical necrolytic migratory erythema without glucagonoma syndrome or evidence for other pancreatic or liver disease. We suggest that, in addition to the diseases listed, myelodysplastic syndrome might be able to cause necrolytic migratory erythema.