Extensive genital and gluteal epitheliolyses caused by locoregional lichen ruber two years after primary treatment of vulvar cancer.
BACKGROUND
Lichen ruber is a rare inflammatory mucocutaneous dermatosis with unknown etiology. Paraneoplastic manifestations of the disease are rare. Eruptions of lichen ruber subsequent to traumas such as surgery or radiotherapy are described as Köbner's phenomenon.


METHODS
A 72-year-old woman presented at our institution because of increasing, extensive erosive epitheliolyses of the genital and gluteal area two years after surgery and radiotherapy because of vulvar cancer.


RESULTS
Thorough clinical as well as histological examination revealed a localized lichen ruber reaction. All epitheliolyses healed well within weeks under topic treatment with steroids.


CONCLUSIONS
Lichen ruber is a rare dermatologic reaction that can occur several months after surgery and radiotherapy and has to be taken into account on examination of patients with late-onset skin reactions after local cancer treatment.
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Heidelberg Medical School, Heidelberg, Germany. Michael.Eichbaum@med.uni-heidelberg.de
Michael H R
MH
Eichbaum
Wolfgang
W
Harms
Sven
S
Bolz
Gerhard
G
Gebauer
Andreas
A
Schneeweiss
Christof
C
Sohn
D000368:Aged; D002081:Buttocks / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008010:Lichen Planus / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014846:Vulvar Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery