Cicatrizing conjunctivitis associated with paraneoplastic lichen planus

PURPOSE: To report two cases of cicatrizing conjunctivitis associated with paraneoplastic lichen planus. METHODS: Case reports. RESULTS: Two patients were examined because of redness and discomfort in bo th eyes. A 63-year-old woman with follicular, small-cleaved cell lymphoma h ad cicatrizing conjunctivitis, stomatitis, vulvitis, and skin lesions. A 25 -year-old man with malignant. thymoma had cicatrizing conjunctivitis, erosi ve stomatitis, and penile papules, Histopathologic studies of conjunctiva a nd skin biopsy specimens in the first patient and labial biopsy specimens i n the second revealed lichen planus. CONCLUSION: Paraneoplastic lichen planus is a possible cause of cicatrizing conjunctivitis associated with inflammatory skin and mucous membrane disea se. (Am J Ophthalmol 2000;129:98-99. (C) 2000 by Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.)