REMISSION OF SCLERODERMA DURING CHEMOTHERAPY FOR LYMPHOMA

Temporary remission of scleroderma during the successful treatment of an associated malignant lymphoma by chemotherapy is reported in a patient with systemic sclerosis and mixed connective tissue disease. There is a well established relation between malignant disease and polymyositis/dermatomyositis but no overall association with systemic sclerosis or mixed connective tissue disease. Reports of the coexistence of malignancy and systemic sclerosis, however, emphasise a close temporal relation in their occurrence. A review of published work has identified several postulated mechanisms for this relation which may explain the response to chemotherapy.