Unusual Clinical and Pathological Features in Pemphigus Vulgaris: A Potential Diagnostic Pitfall. (16th March 2011)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Caltabiano, Rosario; Magro, Gaetano; Puzzo, Lidia; Vasquez, Enrico; De Pasquale, Rocco
• Other Names: Weinberg Jeffrey M. Academic Editor.
• Is Part Of: Case reports in medicine. Volume 2011(2011)
• Publication Date: 2011-03-16
• Subjects: Medicine -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Periodicals; Medicine; Case Reports; Periodicals; 610
• DOI: 10.1155/2011/518758
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1687-9627

Abstract

Abstract : We describe the case of a 67-year-old woman affected by pemphigus vulgaris with a dry whitish scaly lesion in the upper lip. Clinically, this lesion resembled an actinic keratosis. Although histological examination revealed a focal acantholysis, the finding of a moderate-to-severe dysplastic epithelium was consistent with the diagnosis of acantholytic actinic keratosis with moderate/severe dysplasia. Nevertheless, the complete resolution of the lip lesion after systemic therapy for pemphigus vulgaris led us to reconsider the possibility that we were dealing with a pemphigus vulgaris with unusual clinical and histological features. The previously reported cytological dysplasia was better regarded reactive rather than neoplastic, likely as the result to the inflammatory injury.