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Published on: October 3, 2018
Porokeratosis of Mibelli following bone marrow transplantation
Andrew F Alexis1, Klaus Busam, Patricia L Myskowski
1Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021, USA.
Background:
Porokeratosis is a rare disorder of keratinization with both autosomal dominant and acquired forms. Immunosuppression has been associated with the development of porokeratosis in numerous case reports and series. To our knowledge, however, only five cases of porokeratosis have been reported following bone marrow transplantation.
Results:
We report five cases of porokeratosis of Mibelli following bone marrow transplantation. The diagnosis of porokeratosis was made between 1 and 13 years post-transplantation. The underlying malignancy in four of the five cases was leukemia, while the fifth patient had non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Porokeratosis developed during remission in the four leukemia patients, whereas, in the fifth patient, it occurred during a relapse of lymphoma.
Conclusions:
Porokeratosis may develop following bone marrow transplantation. Our five cases double the number reported in the medical literature, and the incidence of porokeratosis following bone marrow transplantation may be significantly higher than previously recognized. As cutaneous carcinomas have been reported in association with porokeratosis, careful surveillance for porokeratosis in bone marrow transplant recipients is warranted.
Insights
Porokeratosis, a rare skin condition, can develop years after bone marrow transplantation. This study highlights five new cases, suggesting it may be more common than previously thought.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Oncology
- Hematology
Background:
- Porokeratosis is a rare keratinization disorder with known associations with immunosuppression.
- Few cases of porokeratosis post-bone marrow transplantation (BMT) have been documented.
- Immunosuppression is a risk factor for developing porokeratosis.
Observation:
- This study reports five new cases of porokeratosis of Mibelli following BMT.
- Diagnosis occurred 1-13 years after transplantation.
- Patients had underlying leukemia or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Findings:
- Porokeratosis developed in patients with leukemia during remission and in a patient with lymphoma during relapse.
- These five cases double the previously reported number of porokeratosis cases post-BMT.
- The incidence of porokeratosis after BMT may be underestimated.
Implications:
- Porokeratosis can manifest years after BMT, even during remission.
- Increased vigilance for porokeratosis in BMT recipients is crucial.
- Early detection and surveillance are recommended due to potential associations with cutaneous carcinomas.
