Henoch-Schönlein purpura associated with malignancy in adults

Malignancy is a well-known cause of cutaneous vasculitis. The occurrence of neoplasia and Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) is rare and poorly understood in adults. A total of 31 cases have been reported in the world literature of adult malignancy-associated HSP. Patients were overwhelmingly male (94%) with a mean age of 60 years and presented predominantly with solid tumors (61%). The most frequent tumors were lung (nonsmall-cell) (n = 8), multiple myeloma (n = 5), prostate (n = 5), and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (n = 3). The majority of patients (55%) developed HSP within 1 month of cancer diagnosis or detection of metastases. We present 3 cases of adults who, in the absence of known precipitating factors, developed HSP within 2 months of diagnosis of a solid tumor or metastases. We recommend that adults, especially older men who present with unexplained HSP, be evaluated for occult neoplasm. We also advise that patients with a known history of malignancy who present with HSP be evaluated for metastatic disease.