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[Pemphigus vulgaris induced by radiotherapy]
E Delaporte1, F Piette, H Bergoend
1Service de Dermatologie A, Hôpital Claude-Huriez, Lille.
Annales De Dermatologie Et De Venereologie
|January 1, 1991
Summary
Radiotherapy may trigger pemphigus vulgaris in lymphoma patients. This autoimmune skin condition, pemphigus vulgaris, improved with glucocorticosteroids after radiation exposure.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Oncology
- Immunology
Background:
- Pemphigus vulgaris is a rare autoimmune blistering disease.
- Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system.
- Radiotherapy is a common cancer treatment.
Observation:
- A 54-year-old male with a four-year history of lymphoma developed pemphigus vulgaris three weeks post-radiotherapy.
- Skin lesions initially localized to the irradiated area before spreading.
- The patient's condition rapidly improved with glucocorticosteroid therapy.
Findings:
- Clinical evidence suggests radiation therapy as a potential trigger for pemphigus vulgaris.
- Twelve of thirteen reported cases of post-irradiation pemphigus were linked to internal malignancies.
- Immunological disturbances from lymphoma may predispose to autoimmune responses post-X-ray exposure.
Implications:
- Ionizing radiation might alter epidermal cell antigenicity or unmask antigens, initiating an autoimmune response.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the precise mechanisms linking radiation, malignancy, and pemphigus development.
- This case highlights the importance of considering iatrogenic causes for new-onset autoimmune conditions in cancer patients.