title: Flexural erythematous eruption following autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation: a study of four cases.
abstract: Autologous bone marrow transplantation and autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (APBSCT) are alternative therapeutic options in the treatment of various malignancies. We describe four patients undergoing APBSCT for malignancies; they developed a cutaneous eruption characterized by confluent erythematous and hyperpigmented patches within the flexural areas during the first month after transplantation. The lesions were poorly circumscribed without epidermal changes such as scaling, xerosis, erosions or atrophy. The skin patches were treated with topical corticosteroids and resolved within a few days with discoloration. Histopathological findings were characterized by focal vacuolar degeneration of the basal layer with epidermal dysmaturation. We believe that these cutaneous eruptions are consistent with an interplay of high-dose chemotherapy and local factors such as friction, local skin temperature and eccrine gland distribution, which could explain the constant location of this eruption in the axillae and genital area.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human and Hereditary Pathology, Institute of Dermatology and Institute of Haematology, University of Pavia, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Piazzale Golgi 2, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Brazzelli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ardigò
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Chiesa
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vassallo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Varettoni
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Borroni
authors.forename: E P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Alessandrino
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Borroni
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003875:Drug Eruptions / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004890:Erythema / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy