A case report of paraneoplastic pemphigus associated with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Paraneoplastic pemphigus is an autoimmune blistering and erosive mucocutaneous syndrome associated with underlying neoplasm. It is primarily associated with lymphoproliferative disorders, and uncommonly with malignancies of epithelial origin. We report on a case of a 68-year-old male who presented with whole body bullous and erosive skin lesions. Findings on upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and skin biopsy revealed esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and paraneoplastic pemphigus. Palliative chemotherapy and systemic glucocorticoid were started, however, the patient died of overwhelming sepsis on the ninth day of chemotherapy. This case demonstrates that paraneoplastic pemphigus can occur in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and could be a cause of morbidity.