xeroderma pigmentosum in children: report of 4 cases

Xeroderma pigmentosum (xp) is a rare genetic disorder inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern. patients with xp are extremely sensitive to ultraviolet (uv) radiation that leads to defective dna repair. people with xp often suffer from problems in the eyes, face, neck, and other areas of the body, frequently exposed to sunlight. it is characterized by photosensitivity, dry skin, pigmentary changes of the skin, premature skin aging, and a considerable increase in incidence rates of malignant skin tumors. there is no cure for xp. in this article, we have described four patients from two families, three of whom had malignant skin tumors.