POROKERATOSIS AND CUTANEOUS MALIGNANCY - A REVIEW

BACKGROUND. Porokeratosis is a disorder of epidermal keratinization ma nifested clinically by a raised border and histologically by a cornoid lamella. While cutaneous malignancy has been reported to arise in por okeratosis, the risk remains unknown. In the past it has been associat ed with a history of radiation therapy. OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study is to estimate the frequency of cutaneous malignancy arising in porokeratosis and define those patients who are at highest risk. METH ODS. All cases in the English language literature in the last 30 years were reviewed. RESULTS. Twenty-one (7.5%) of 281 cases reported revea led a malignancy arising within porokeratosis. Large lesions, those of long-standing duration, and the linear type were at greatest risk. Ra diation therapy was an infrequently identified risk factor. CONCLUSION . Porokeratosis is a premalignant condition, with certain groups of pa tients at greatest risk for malignant transformation.