Pemphigus vulgaris and malignancy

A case of oral squamous cell carcinoma with pemphigus vulgaris is reported and the literature is reviewed. Association between the above entities has essentially been founded upon the specificity of cancer-associated antigen. To date, such an antigen has not been adequately defined, and, therefore, any causal relationship between the 2 processes on the grounds of antigenic-specificity of cancer cells remains unjustified. Hence, pemphigus and malignancy may occur as a coexisting phenomenon.