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Granulocyte-dependent Autoantibody-induced Skin Blistering
Published on: October 12, 2012
[Generalized bullous pemphigoid induced by radiotherapy]
1Service de dermatologie, CHU Ibn-Sina, Rabat, Maroc. nada_derm83@yahoo.fr
Annales De Dermatologie Et De Venereologie
|April 19, 2011
Summary
Radiotherapy can rarely induce autoimmune bullous pemphigoid (BP), a blistering skin condition. This case highlights a generalized BP with oral involvement following radiation for vulvar cancer, responding well to corticosteroids.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Dermatology
- Immunology
Background:
- Autoimmune bullous diseases are rarely associated with radiotherapy.
- Squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva is a condition treated with radiotherapy.
Observation:
- A 48-year-old female patient developed generalized blistering lesions with oral mucosa involvement after receiving adjuvant radiotherapy for vulvar cancer.
- Histopathological examination revealed sub-epidermal bullae, and immunofluorescence showed IgG and C3 deposits at the dermal-epidermal junction.
Findings:
- The patient's condition was clinically and histologically suggestive of bullous pemphigoid (BP).
- This represents one of the few reported cases of radiotherapy-induced BP, with generalized and mucosal involvement being particularly noteworthy.
- The patient responded favorably to systemic corticosteroid treatment.
Implications:
- Radiotherapy-induced bullous pemphigoid is an extremely rare but recognized adverse event.
- The underlying mechanism likely involves radiotherapy altering dermal-epidermal junction proteins, triggering autoantibody production.
- The therapeutic response to corticosteroids is similar to non-radiation-induced BP.