Tumor- and drug-induced cutaneous neuro-phospholipidosis.

Drugs and metastatic malignant tumors induce severe alterations in cutaneous axons. The most prominent ultrastructural feature of axonal dystrophy of this type was the presence of multiple lamellated osmiophilic bodies (LOB), similar to those occurring in hereditary disorders with increase of brain gangliosides and lipid storage. Chloroquine, ergotamine, ethaverine and chronic abuse of non-narcotic analgesic drugs seem to be responsible for the drug-induced cutaneous neuro-phospholipidosis, whereas the same condition was found in two patients with metastatic bronchogenic carcinoma and malignant melanoma.