Radiation-induced hidradenitis suppurativa: A case report

HS: hidradenitis suppurativa RT: radiation therapy INTRODUCTION Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by abscesses, fistulas, and scarring affecting the groin, anogenital area, and axillae. HS has an estimated prevalence of 1%, and moderate-to-severe forms have a high disease burden. The disease is a combination of homeostasis abnormalities of the pilosebaceous unit and dysregulation of the skin immune responses. Pathogenesis involves the interaction between a person’s genetic background (potentially heterozygous mutations of genes belonging to the gamma secretase complex) and environmental triggers, among which are the skin microbiome, cigarette smoking, and obesity. We report herein a case of radiation-induced HS and discuss its possible mechanisms.