CASE REPORTS   

Giornale Italiano di Dermatologia e Venereologia 2007 August;142(4):415-8

Copyright © 2007 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Two cases of erythema ab igne, one with a squamous cell carcinoma

Wollina U. ¹, Helm C. ¹, Hansel G. ¹, Köstler E. ¹, Schönlebe J. ²

¹ Department of Dermatology and Allergology Hospital Dresden-Friedrichstadt Academic Teaching Hospital Technical University of Dresden, Dresden, Germany 2 Institute of Pathology “Georg Schmorl” Hospital Dresden-Friedrichstadt Academic Teaching Hospital Technical University of Dresden, Dresden, Germany

Erythema ab igne is a rare disease of mostly reticulate hyperpigmented skin caused by repeated long-term exposure to heat irradiation. We report on two patients, a 46-year-old male and a 71-year-old female who developed asymptomatic erythema ab igne on the back or the buttock respectively. In the woman, however, a squamous cell carcinoma occurred within the erythema ab igne. The tumour was removed surgically. Erythema ab igne, though asymptomatic itself, can be a locus minoris resistantiae for a cancerization in later life.