Skin Diseases Associated With Agent Orange And Other Organochlorine Exposures

The document from May 2016 provides a systematic review of skin diseases associated with organochlorine exposures, such as Agent Orange, highlighting a practice gap in the assessment of skin diseases by the Institute of Medicine. It recommends that patients with chloracne, porphyria cutanea tarda, cutaneous lymphomas, and soft tissue sarcomas should be screened for a history of Vietnam service or industrial exposure. The evidence for an increased risk of other skin diseases in Vietnam veterans is inconclusive, and affected veterans should be informed of the uncertain data. Referral to Veterans Affairs for disability assessment is advised for conditions with established associations. Additionally, the document discusses a case of systemic AL amyloidosis presenting with skin fragility and bullous formation, aiming to raise awareness for dermatologists. Lastly, it reviews the risk of breast cancer in spironolactone users, concluding that current data does not support an association between spironolactone use and breast cancer, but calls for larger, long-term studies to further investigate this potential risk, especially in patients with a history of breast cancer or those at higher risk.