Pemphigus vulgaris induced by radiotherapy

Pemphigus can be triggered or induced by many insults, such as drugs, infections, viruses and neoplasms. X-ray-induced pemphigus has been recorded only rarely in the literature. We describe the case of a woman with pemphigus vulgaris in remission, who relapsed 1 week after completion of an irradiation course for breast cancer, in the exact location of the radiation. We review the previous 15 cases from the literature and outline the common features of those cases.