Trousseau sign of malignancy

Overview
The Trousseau sign of malignancy is a medical sign commonly found in certain cancers. It is also referred to as Trousseau syndrome and is distinct from the Trousseau sign of latent tetany.

Some malignancies, especially adenocarcinomas of the pancreas and lung, are associated with hypercoagulability (the tendency to form blood clots) for reasons that are incompletely understood, but may be related to factors secreted by the tumors. In patients with malignancy-associated hypercoagulable states, the blood may spontaneously form clots in the portal vessels, the deep veins of the extremities (such as the leg), or the superficial veins anywhere on the body. These clots present as visibly swollen blood vessels (vasculitis), especially the veins, or as intermittent pain in the affected areas. The pathological phenomenon of clots forming, resolving and then appearing again elsewhere in the body has been named thrombophlebitis migrans or migratory thrombophlebitis.

Armand Trousseau first described this finding in himself; he was subsequently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Complete Differential Diagnosis of the Causes of Trousseau Sign of Malignancy
(In alphabetical order)

Migratory thrombophlebitis:


 * Colon cancer
 * Gastric carcinoma
 * Lung cancer
 * Ovarian cancer
 * Pancreatic cancer

Complete Differential Diagnosis of the Causes of Trousseau Sign of Malignancy:
(By organ system)