To the Editor.—
The occurrence of chronic late radiation changes with the development of cancer due to prolonged contact with radioactive jewelry has been reported in only a few instances.1-3 However, judging from communication with fellow dermatologists, it is not too unusual (Howard L. Stoll, Jr., MD, oral communication, June 1973).In a case report published by Holubar et al,4 skin changes of the ground phalanx of the left ring finger were found in a 63-year-old white businessman. The patient first noted a skin eruption after wearing a gold ring for more than ten years. During the next 20 years, the eruption gradually worsened. Despite the fact that he had not worn the ring for the past two years and had received prolonged treatment with steroid creams, the dermatitis still persisted (Fig 1).Because of the suspicion of radiation damage, a skin biopsy was performed that confirmed the