Journal of Women's Health Care
Open Access
ISSN: 2167-0420
+44-7360-538437
ISSN: 2167-0420
+44-7360-538437
Background: Lichen sclerosus is a chronic inflammatory disease mainly affecting the anogenital site chiefly in postmenopausal women with an increased risk of anogenital cancer. Its aetiology is unknown; evidence is accumulating that genetic factors increase the risk of LS in families.
Objective: To evaluate the familial occurrence of anogenital lichen sclerosus in a cohort of Dutch individuals with lichen sclerosus.
Method: To evaluate the familial occurrence of genital LS a questionnaire was given to individuals with confirmed LS attending an annual LS meeting asking for LS in family members with an option of a “certain”, “likely”, “not known”, “definitely not” diagnosis of LS.
Results: One hundred and seventeen of 170 individuals returned questionnaires with information on 555 relatives. Ten individuals (8.6%) stated that they had at least one family member with LS diagnosed by a physician. Thirty-five (30%) attendees had family members with possible LS. Anogenital cancer was reported by one individual and in 2 of the 10 families with familial LS (20%).
Conclusions: 8.6 % of patients with LS had family members with LS. Those families may be at increased risk of developing genital carcinoma in LS lesions.