What are the signs and symptoms of paraneoplastic pemphigus?
Almost all patients with paraneoplastic pemphigus have an associated malignancy. Oral blisters, erosions and ulcerations may be very painful. Other mucosal surfaces affected include the nose, throat and genitals. Skin lesions occur anywhere on the body and are highly variable in appearance. They can be red and inflamed spots, scaly plaques, fluid-filled blisters or ulcerative lesions. It may be confused with several other blistering skin conditions including pemphigus vulgaris, erythema multiforme, bullous pemphigoid, and lichen planus. Paraneoplastic pemphigus may also affect the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts, which significantly increases the chances of death.
