Is Cutaneous Small-Vessel Vasculitis a Marker of Internal Malignancy?

An association between cutaneous vasculitis and internal malignancy has often been reported, especially between vasculitis and lymphomas or malignancy of the hematopoietic system. A link to solid organ tumors has also been suggested, but is this association real? Should clinicians evaluate patients with vasculitis for malignancy? In the 1950s, Curth suggested criteria to evaluate the association between skin disease and internal malignancy, including concurrent onset, parallel course, specific type or site of malignancy, and statistical association. A recent retrospective analysis of solid organ malignancy and cutaneous vasculitis addresses only some of these factors.

Investigators analyzed the cases of 17 patients with cutaneous vasculitis …