Acute cutaneous eruptions after marrow ablation: roses by other names?

This review will cover acute cutaneous eruptions following marrow ablation in the treatment of various malignant neoplasms. The clinical and histopathological features of 1. the eruption of lymphocyte recovery, 2. acute allogeneic graft-vs-host reaction, 3. acute autologous (spontaneous) graft-vs-host reaction, 4. eruptions associated with the administration of cyclosporin A, and 5. eruptions associated with the administration of human recombinant cytokines in pharmacologic doses will be considered. The idea is put forth that the second, third, and fourth cutaneous eruptions listed above represent variations on the theme of the eruption of lymphocyte recovery. The final common pathway in the development of all these diffuse erythematous eruptions probably relates to the elaboration of cytokines by infiltrating lymphocytes or to the administration of cytokines in pharmacologic doses.