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Xeroderma pigmentosa - Treatment

Treatment:

Children with this condition require total protection from sunlight. Even the light coming through window s and fluorescent bulbs is dangerous.

When the person must go in the sun, protective clothing should be worn.

High protection (SPF 30 or greater) sunscreen and very dark, UV-protected glasses should be worn. Your doctor may prescribe medicine to help prevent certain skin cancers.

Support Groups:

Xeroderma Pigmentosum Society -- www.xps.org

XP Family Support Group -- www.xpfamilysupport.org

Expectations (prognosis):

Most persons with this condition die of skin cancer early in adulthood.

Complications:

Change in appearance of skin (disfigurement)
Skin cancer

Calling your health care provider:

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if you or your child has symptoms of xeroderma pigmentosa.

Chromosomes and DNA

Reviewed last on: 4/13/2009
A.D.A.M. Editorial Team: David Zieve, MD, MHA, Greg Juhn, MTPW, David R. Eltz. Previously reviewed by Kevin Berman, MD, PhD, Associate, Atlanta Center for Dermatologic Disease, Atlanta, GA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network (4/12/2007).

References

Abeloff MD, Armitage JO, Niederhuber JE, Kastan MB, McKena WG. Clinical Oncology. 3rd ed. Orlando, Fl: Churchill Livingstone; 2004.

Kumar V, Abbas AK, Fausto N. Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease. 7th ed. St. Louis, Mo: WB Saunders; 2005.

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