Postirradiation linear morphoea

Abstract

Postirradiation morphoea is an uncommon side-effect of radiotherapy. We report a 74-year-old woman who was treated with radiotherapy for endometrial carcinoma. About 3.5 years after the first dose of radiotherapy, the patient developed linear morphoea starting from the radiation port and affecting distant, nonirradiated skin. Lesions of radiation-induced morphoea are generally described as well-demarcated, indurated plaques with varying amounts of associated erythema; however, there is no previous publication of unilateral band-like distribution of morphoea associated with radiotherapy, to our knowledge.

Post-Irradiation Morphea: Case report and review of the literature

“…16 The 54 reported cases were from different races: african, 5 asian 8 and caucasian (most patients). As summarized in Table 1 all -except 7 -cases (54 patients) of post-irradiation morphea (PIM) had breast carcinoma: 4 cases had endocervical and endometrial carcinoma, [9][10][11][12] one case had abdominal aortic aneurysm and was treated with fluoroscopically guided repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm (X-rays with fluorscent screen) which induced post-irradiation morphea (PIM), 13 one case after chest wall irradiation for subcutaneous lymphoma, 5 and one with axillary-node irradiation due to adenocarcinoma of unknown origin. 9 Analyzing the reported cases of PIM, we found an interval between the first radiotherapy dose and the appearance of PIM of 1 month 8 to 32 years.…”

Update on morphea

“…34,36 Most patients form morphea lesions within the year of radiation completion. 33,34,36 However, there have been reports of patients developing morphea up to 32 years postradiation. 37 Multiple pathogenic processes of radiation-induced morphea have been postulated.…”

Irradiation-Induced Morphea: X-Rays as Triggers of Autoimmunity

“…After irradiation of the left breast, morphea developed in the radiation field, extending to its margins, and also affecting the legs. A case of linear morphea of one leg following radiotherapy to the pelvis was recently described by Akay et al [12]. Also, an interesting case of radiotherapy related lung fibrosis was described by Bentzen et al [13].…”