Abstract
After radiotherapy and chemotherapy for treatment of a brain tumor, hyperpigmentation occured in a Caucasian man. Ultrastructural examination of the hyperpigmented skin revealed melanocytes often very prominent and extending down into the papillary dermis. These melanocytes seemed to be increased in number and contained large cytoplasmic lipidic vacuoles. Most striking was the prominent alteration in melanosome distribution within the keratinocytes. The melanosomes were mainly nonaggregated, as in negroids and were no longer arranged in membrane‐bound groups, as is usually found in Caucasian skin. Most melanosomes were completely melanized and their greatest length was 0.65 μ. An increase in the number of melanosomes was apparent. The present study shows that the basis for this hyperpigmentation is in part similar to that of UVL plus psoralen or topical application of nitrogen mustard, in that melanosomes in Caucasians remain un‐aggregated in the keratinocyte.
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