[Dermatomyositis and nasopharyngeal carcinoma: 3 cases].

BACKGROUND Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is a common cancer in Tunisia with an estimated incidence of 1.8/100,000. The tumor shows a characteristic association with paraneoplastic syndromes. CASE REPORTS We report three cases of histologically proven dermatomyositis associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma in patients aged 40, 24 and 65 years. In all cases, the course of the paraneoplastic syndrome ran parallel to the nasopharyngeal carcinoma. DISCUSSION Dermatomyositis is one of the numerous paraneoplastic syndromes associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Systematic examination of the nasopharynx is required in case of dermatomyositis.