Does Radiation-Induced Abrogation of Skin Langerhans Cell Functions Lead to Enhanced Incidence of Skin Tumors in Patients with Genetic Disorders of DNA Repair?

Abstract

A hypothesis is presented which states that persons with the genetic disorders xeroderma pigmentosum and ataxia-telangiectasia, manifested by a deficiency of DNA repair, develop cutaneous tumors due to the elimination of reticuloendothelial system cells (Langerhans cells) in the skin, and the subsequent loss of control of epidermal cellular elements.