Hepatocellular carcinoma and lichen planus: report of two cases

A patient with lichen planus (LP) who developed a hepatocellular carcinoma as a consequence of a postviral chronic hepatitis is described. Its possible noncoincidental association with LP is discussed on the basis of a recent large case-control study in which the association of LP with chronic, possibly postviral, liver disorders has been confirmed. In the same study 1 case out of 577 LP patients was found to have hepatocellular carcinoma versus none of the 1,031 controls, a prevalence which is higher than expected in a western population.