Paraneoplastic Pemphigus: Reevaluation of a Case From the Past

In our 1989 article, we described a unique case characterized as lichen planus pemphigoides with features of lichen planus and pemphigus vulgaris. 1 This 76-year-old woman had a history of intra-abdominal lymphoma. A generalized blistering eruption developed, preceded by a crop of violaceous papules. There was particular involvement of the mucosal surfaces and of the palms and soles. Histologic and laboratory findings included suprabasal acantholysis in the blisters and typical lichen planus in the papules, intercellular deposition of IgG and C3 throughout the epidermis, and circulating antiepidermal cytoplasm antibodies directed against human keratinocytes as well as anti-intercellular space antibodies. In the absence of a more appropriate designation, we coined the term noted above. In 1990 Anhalt et al 2 defined a new disease, paraneoplastic pemphigus. We reevaluated our patient and believe she fulfills at least three of Anhalt's five criteria for paraneoplastic pemphigus. A case of paraneoplastic pemphigus similar to