SEVERE LICHEN PLANUS-LIKE ERUPTION INDUCED BY INTERFERON-ALPHA THERAPY

A 70-year-old woman was treated for follicular lymphoma with 10 MU of recombinant interferon-alpha-2b three times weekly. Four weeks later s he developed a severe and resistant lichen planus-like eruption with c utaneous and mucosal lesions. Immunohistochemical study revealed the e nhanced expression of HLA-DR and ICAM-1 antigens by lesional keratinoc ytes with an accumulation of CD4(+) lymphocytes in the upper dermis. T he authors reviewed previously reported observations of lichen planus- like eruption induced by interferon. Speculations about the pathogenei c mechanism are discussed.