Paraneoplastic pyoderma gangrenosum associated with adenocarcinoma of the rectosigmoid junction: a case report

INTRODUCTION: Pyoderma gangrenosum is a rare, idiopathic, inflammatory, neutrophilic dermatitis characterized by sterile skin ulceration. It can be associated with an underlying pathology, especially inflammatory bowel disease and hematological malignancies. Its association with a malignant pathology in the context of a paraneoplastic syndrome is more commonly described in hematological malignancies, with solid tumors being rare. CASE REPORT: We report a case of a 39-year-old West African man with pyoderma gangrenosum that developed 6 months before the clinical expression of rectosigmoid junction cancer. The removal of the cancer resulted in the patient’s recovery. CONCLUSION: Recurrent pyoderma gangrenosum lesions may be the expression of colonic adenocarcinoma in paraneoplastic syndrome and require colonoscopy, especially in at-risk patients.