PARANEOPLASTIC PEMPHIGUS

Course overview

PARANEOPLASTIC PEMPHIGUS (PNP) IS A RARE AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE THAT IS ALMOST ALWAYS ASSOCIATED WITH CONFIRMED OR OCCULT MALIGNANCY. PATIENTS TYPICALLY PRESENT WITH PAINFUL AND EXTENSIVE MUCOSAL AND CUTANEOUS INVOLVEMENT, WITH AN OVERALL POOR PROGNOSIS. NO FORMAL DIAGNOSTIC OR TREATMENT PROTOCOLS CURRENTLY EXIST FOR PNP. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EPIDEMIOLOGY, PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, CLINICAL PRESENTATION, DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS, AND MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH PNP WHILE EMPHASIZING THE ROLE OF AN INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN IMPROVING CARE FOR THESE PATIENTS.