Tripe palms, also known as acanthosis palmaris, is a medical sign characterized by thick ridged velvety palms, typically as part of a paraneoplastic syndrome.[1] It resembles the lining of the stomach of some animals (tripe).[2] Other signs that may be noted at the same time include most frequently acanthosis nigricans (AN), and less commonly finger clubbing and Leser-Trélat sign.[2]
| Tripe palms | |
|---|---|
| Specialty | Dermatology |
The sign is rare.[3]
Signs and symptoms
editTripe palms appear as thick ridged velvety palms, typically as part of a paraneoplastic syndrome.[1]
Cause and mechanism
editHow it occurs is unclear.[3] More than 90% of individuals with the sign have a cancer.[1][2] In some, both tripe palms and AN appear together before the cancer is diagnosed.[3] Lung cancer is more frequent if the tripe palms present alone, whereas cancer of the stomach is more frequent when AN is also present.[1] The sign has also been associated with bullous pemphigoid, psoriasis, and exfoliative dermatitis.[2] It is believed that growth factors secreted by cancer cells cause some skin cells to grow.[3]
Diagnosis and treatment
editDiagnosis is by its appearance and a biopsy is generally not helpful.[2] Other conditions that may appear similar include acromegaly, acrokeratosis paraneoplastica, hypertrophic osteoarthropathy, idiopathic hypertrophic osteoarthropathy, palmoplantar keratoderma, and acropachy.[2] Tripe palms may improve with treatment of the underlying cancer.[3]
Epidemiology
editThe sign is rare.[3] There are around 100 reported cases worldwide.[2]
History
editThe term was first coined by Jacqueline Clarke in 1977.[4][5]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d James, William D.; Elston, Dirk; Treat, James R.; Rosenbach, Misha A.; Neuhaus, Isaac (2020). "24. Endocrine diseases". Andrews' Diseases of the Skin: Clinical Dermatology (13th ed.). Elsevier. p. 503. ISBN 978-0-323-54753-6.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Tripe Palms - DermNet". dermnetnz.org. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f Fonia, Athina; Baran, Robert (2021). "Cutaneous paraneoplastic syndromes with nail involvement". In Lipner, Shari (ed.). Nail Disorders: Diagnosis and Management, An Issue of Dermatologic Clinics. Elsevier. p. 179. ISBN 978-0-323-70924-8.
- ^ Clarke, Jacqueline (June 1977). "Malignant acanthosis nigricans". Clinical and Experimental Dermatology. 2 (2): 167–170. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2230.1977.tb01561.x. PMID 884896.
- ^ Niederhuber, John E. (1993). Current Therapy in Oncology. B.C. Decker. ISBN 978-1-55664-229-6.