Lichen planus pemphigoides: another paraneoplastic bullous disease?

Abstract

Abstract Background Despite a long-standing controversy regarding the classification of lichen planus associated with blistering, it seems likely today that bullous lichen planus and lichen planus pemphigoides are separate entities. Patients In this presentation two patients are described: a 56-year-old female with bullous lichen planus developed on persisting lesions over a period of 1 year and an 83-year-old female who developed lichen planus pemphigoides during the course of thyroid-gland carcinoma. Conclusion Each of these two entities has its own clinical, histological, immunohistological, and immunobiochemical features. Also, the outcomes seem to be different since lesions of bullous lichen planus usually resolve after a rather short period of time; persistent lesions may possibly develop into squamous cell carcinoma. In contrast, lichen planus pemphigoides is likely to be a paraneoplastic disorder.