Lichen planus in hepatitis C virus infection: an early marker that may save lives

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) represents a major public health problem as a causative agent in developing chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. In recent years it has become known that HCV induces a broad spectrum of extrahepatic manifestations, including some cutaneous ones such as mixed cryoglobulinemia, porphyria cutanea tarda, leukocytoclastic vasculitis, lichen planus (LP), sicca syndrome, and others. Although the association of HCV infection with cryoglobulinemia has been well established, several controversies exist regarding the relationship between HCV infection and LP. This review focuses on the dilemma in evaluating the potential role of LP in diagnosing HCV infection as one of the first overt markers of potentially fatal chronic liver disease.