[Paraneoplastic lichen ruber pemphigoides]

Until now, the designation "Lichen planus vesiculosus" respectively "Lichen planus pemphigoides" comprises a group of apparently very heterogenous "vesicular" variants of Lichen planus. A case is described in which both subepidermal vesicles within Lichen planus-papules and acantholytic suprabasal vesicles in normal skin areas occur simultaneously. The coexistence of "Lichen planus vesiculosus" and a Pemphigus vulgaris-like eruption without pemphigus-autoantibodies is assumed. These symptoms proved to be paraneoplastic phenomena, with an underlying hemangiopericytoma. The pathogenesis of the skin changes is presumed to rest on an autoimmune mechanism. The apparently regular retroperitoneal (pararenal, paravertebral) tumor localization in cases of paraneoplastic Lichen planus vesiculosus respectively pemphigoides is pointed out.