Herpes gestationis may present itself as a paraneoplastic syndrome of choriocarcinoma—a case report

• Published in: Gynecologic oncology 2003-05, Vol.89 (2), p.334-337
• Main Authors: Djahansouzi, S, Nestle-Kraemling, C, Dall, P, Bender, H.G, Hanstein, B
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Bullous diseases of the skin; Choriocarcinoma - complications; Dermatology; Diseases of mother, fetus and pregnancy; Female; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; Medical sciences; Paraneoplastic Syndromes - complications; Pemphigoid Gestationis - complications; Pregnancy; Pregnancy. Fetus. Placenta; Uterine Neoplasms - complications
• ISSN: 0090-8258; 1095-6859
• DOI: 10.1016/S0090-8258(03)00070-2

Herpes gestationis (HG) is a rare, recurrent, pruritic, vesicobullous dermatosis occurring predominantly in pregnancy and seldom in early puerperium. Reports of the association of HG with choriocarcinoma are extremely rare and this case highlights such a possible link. This case focuses on the late postpartal manifestation of HG being associated with metastatic high-risk choriocarcinoma. Direct immunofluorescence was used to verify the diagnosis of HG. Symptomatic therapy with corticosteroids and antihistamines alleviated the pruritic symptoms associated with HG, but only the recurrent course of chemotherapy for the choriocarcinoma resulted in complete disappearance of all signs and symptoms of the HG. The time course of this case highlights once again the possible association of HG as a paraneoplastic syndrome of choriocarcinoma.