Transient acanthosis nigricans following bone marrow transplantation for lymphoid malignancy

Transient acanthosis nigricans (AN) was observed 3 months after bone marrow transplantation (BMT) for lymphoblastic lymphoma. The patient had no endocrine abnormality and had not received any drug known to induce AN. Forty-eight months post-BMT no malignancy recurred or appeared. Although usual hyperkeratosis, papillomatosis and acanthosis were present on skin biopsy, these were associated with the finding of keratinocyte necrosis and CD8+ lymphocytic infiltrate. It is suggested that graft-versus-host disease may be one of the triggers for AN.