Lichenoid dermatitis from interferon alpha-2a in a patient with metastatic renal cell carcinoma and seronegative HCV

Cutaneous reactions to interferon, including a lichenoid drug reaction, are most commonly reported in patients undergoing treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. There have been case reports of interferon-induced lichen planus in seronegative HCV patients with lymphoproliferative disorders and melanoma. We report the case of a 71-year-old man undergoing treatment with interferon for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) who developed an eruption 2 months after starting interferon. Clinical and histological findings from biopsies supported a diagnosis of interferon-induced lichen planus. To our knowledge, this is the first known case of a lichenoid drug eruption from interferon in a seronegative HCV patient with metastatic RCC. J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(7):714-716. .