THE ITCH THAT WOULDN'T STOP: WHEN SKIN SIGNALS SOMETHING DEEPER

Course overview

This continuing education activity explores a diagnostically challenging case of persistent pruritus that ultimately revealed an underlying malignancy. Through the narrative of a patient whose symptoms defied dermatologic explanation, learners will examine the clinical presentation and pathophysiology of paraneoplastic pruritus. The course emphasizes the importance of comprehensive assessment, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the nurse's role in identifying atypical symptom patterns that may indicate systemic disease. Participants will gain practical strategies for escalating care and advocating for further diagnostic evaluation when standard treatments prove ineffective.