[Tumor- and drug-induced cutaneous axonal dystrophy. An electronmicrocopy proof of multiple lamellated bodies]

A marked cutaneous axonal dystrophy has been observed electronmicroscopically for the first time in the skin of three patients: (a) lesion of pityriasis lichenoides chronica in a patient with bronchogenic carcinoma, (b) non involved skin of a patient with malignant melanoma and (c) non involved skin of a patient with gout and retinal damage after prolonged use of chloroquine. The affected myelinated and non myelinated axons showed distinct alterations of mitochondria and multiple osmiophilic lamellated bodies (LK). These changes were interpreted as a (poly-)neuropathy, due to the influence of toxic systemic agents, such as malignant tumor and abuse of drugs. Chloroquine is known to induce neural damage. Moreover, some other compounds (ergotamine, ethaverine, analgetic preparations) may also be responsible for the drug-induced axonal dystrophy described in this study.