Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is characterized by: Acute sun sensitivity (severe sunburn with blistering, persistent erythema on minimal sun exposure) with marked freckle-like pigmentation of the face before age two years; Sunlight-induced ocular involvement (photophobia, severe keratitis, atrophy of the skin of the lids, ocular surface neoplasms); Greatly increased risk of sunlight-induced cutaneous neoplasms (basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, melanoma) within the first decade of life. Approximately 25% of affected individuals have neurologic manifestations (acquired microcephaly, diminished or absent deep tendon stretch reflexes, progressive sensorineural hearing loss, progressive cognitive impairment, and ataxia). The most common causes of death are skin cancer, neurologic degeneration, and internal cancer. The median age at death in persons with XP with neurodegeneration (29 years) was found to be younger than that in persons with XP without neurodegeneration (37 years).

Ataxia-telangiectasia-like disorder-2 (ATLD2) is an autosomal recessive syndrome resulting from defects in DNA excision repair. Affected individuals have a neurodegenerative phenotype characterized by developmental delay, ataxia, and sensorineural hearing loss. Other features include short stature, cutaneous and ocular telangiectasia, and photosensitivity (summary by Baple et al., 2014). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of ATLD, see ATLD1 (604391).