Trousseau sign of malignancy

Not to be confused with Trousseau sign of latent tetany.
Trousseau sign of malignancy
Differential diagnosisthrombophlebitis migrans

The Trousseau sign of malignancy or Trousseau's syndrome is a medical sign involving episodes of vessel inflammation due to blood clot (thrombophlebitis) which are recurrent or appearing in different locations over time (thrombophlebitis migrans or migratory thrombophlebitis). The location of the clot is tender and the clot can be felt as a nodule under the skin.[1] Trousseau's syndrome is a rare variant of venous thrombosis that is characterized by recurrent, migratory thrombosis in superficial veins and in uncommon sites, such as the chest wall and arms. This syndrome is particularly associated with pancreatic, gastric and lung cancer and Trousseau's syndrome can be an early sign of cancer[2][3] sometimes appearing months to years before the tumor would be otherwise detected.[4] Heparin therapy is recommended to prevent future clots.[5] The Trousseau sign of malignancy should not be confused with the Trousseau sign of latent tetany caused by low levels of calcium in the blood.

  1. ^ Trousseau's sign of visceral malignancy in GPnotebook, retrieved November 2012
  2. ^ Caine, Graham (Nov 2002). "The Hypercoagulable State of Malignancy: Pathogenesis and Current Debate". Neoplasia. 4 (6): 465–473. doi:10.1038/sj.neo.7900263. PMC 1550339. PMID 12407439.
  3. ^ Callander, N; S I Rapaport (1993). "Trousseau's syndrome". Western Journal of Medicine. 158 (4): 364–371. ISSN 0093-0415. PMC 1022062. PMID 8317122.
  4. ^ "Trousseau sign" at Dorland's Medical Dictionary
  5. ^ Callander, N; S I Rapaport (1993). "Trousseau's syndrome". Western Journal of Medicine. 158 (4): 364–371. ISSN 0093-0415. PMC 1022062. PMID 8317122.