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Tripe palms: a cutaneous manifestation of internal malignancy

Anver M Sethwala
Med J Aust 2017; 207 (7): . || doi: 10.5694/mja17.00207
Published online: 2 October 2017

A 79-year-old woman presented with 10 kg unintentional weight loss, anorexia, fatigue and cough over 3 months on a background of 50 pack-years smoking history. Physical examination revealed digital clubbing and velvety thickened palms with accentuated skin markings consistent with tripe palms (Figure, A and B). A whole-body positron emission tomography/computed tomography scan revealed a 6.4 cm left upper lobe lung mass intensely fludeoxyglucose avid. Subsequent computed tomography scan-guided biopsy revealed KRAS-mutant adenocarcinoma. Tripe palms or acanthosis palmaris is a rare manifestation of internal malignancy, most notably lung or gastric cancer.1 The patient declined further treatment and opted for palliative care.


  • Barwon Health, Geelong, VIC



Competing interests:

No relevant disclosures.

  • 1. Breathnach SM, Wells GC. Acanthosis palmaris: tripe palms. A distinctive pattern of palmar keratoderma frequently associated with internal malignancy. Clin Exp Dermatol 1980; 5: 181-189.

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