Abstract:

[Absrtact] Objective To report a case of radiation-induced bullous pemphigoid, explore the correlation of radiodermatitis and bullous pemphigoid. Patient and Intervention An 82-year-old female patient presented with blisters mainly on left chest wall for half a month. She had a history of postoperative radiation therapy after a left breast carcinoma resection, and recurrent radiation dermatitis on her left chest wall. The blisters are well beyond the radiation field. A biopsy and immunofluorescence of the lesions confirmed the diagnosis of bullous pemphigoid. After two weeks use of minocin and nicotinamide, complete remission was got. Conclusions Radiation-induced bullous pemphigoid was seldom reported. Radiation may alter the property of basal membrane, unmask the autoantigen, induce autoimmune response, and influence MMP-9 (matrix metalloproteinase 9) and VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) expression. Bullous pemphigoid may be considered to be a side effect of irradiation.

Key words: Pemphigoid, bullous, radiodermatitis