Malignant tumours may be associated with paraneoplastic rheumatic syndromes which develop without direct invasion of tumour cells into tissues and are caused by humoral mediators. A number of these syndromes was described – the most frequent ones include hypertrophic osteoarthropathy, carcinomatous polyarthritis, dermatomyositis and paraneoplastic vasculitis. Less frequently fascitis, Raynaud’s syndrome, digital gangrene, erythromelalgia,Lambert-Eaton’smyasthenia andothers are encountered. The list of rheumatic syndromes associated with malignant processes is extending steadily and recently in this group also benign oedematous polysynovitis, neutrophil dermatoses, osteomalacia and antiphospholipid syndrome are included.Musculoskeletal symptoms may develop concurrently with, before or after manifestation of the tumorous process and may also predict its recurrence. Clinical manifestations copy as a rule the course of the primary tumourous disease the treatment of which frequently leads to disappaearance of rheumatic symptoms. Musculoskeletal manifestations may draw attention to the presence of a latent tumorous process and make its early detection and initiation of therapy possible. The submitted paper reviews paraneoplastic rheumatic syndromes and is concerned withmechanisms of their development, clinical picture andtherapeutic possibilities.

        Key words: malignant tumours, rheumatic disease, paraneoplastic syndromes