Hyperpigmentation in palms associated with lung adenocarcinoma resolving after chemotherapy

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Thoracoscopic Extended Right Middle Plus Lower Sleeve Lobectomy for Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

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Published on: February 27, 2026

Fengying Wu¹, Chunxia Su¹, Li Liu¹

¹Department of Oncology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.

The Clinical Respiratory Journal

|November 27, 2014

Abstract

Background And Aim:

Hyperpigmentation is a kind of paraneoplastic syndrome associated with lung cancer. Diffuse hyperpigmentation was reported and generally resulted from overproduction of melanocyte-stimulating hormone or adrenocorticotropic hormone. However, localized hyperpigmentation is rare for lung cancer.

Methods:

Here, we report a 56-year-old lung adenocarcinoma patient who developed hyperpigmentation in two palms about 3 months preceding the diagnosis and resolved gradually with the shrink of the primary tumours in lung after chemotherapy.

Result:

Localized hyperpigmentation suggests that another mechanism might be involved.

Conclusion:

The case reminds us that any skin disorders without obvious causes in heavy smokers should be alerted as a sign of lung cancer and sometimes could be used as a marker of response to the treatment.

Keywords:

hyperpigmentation lung cancer paraneoplastic syndrome

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