Significance of Human Papillomavirus-Induced Squamous Cell Carcinoma to Dermatologists

Abstract

HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS (HPV) is now recognized as the possible cause of many skin diseases, including verrucae, condyloma acuminatum, Bowen's disease, keratoacanthomas, bowenoid papulosis, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in epidermodysplasia verruciformis (EV) and in immunosuppressed patients, and SCC of the nail bed and periungual area.¹The reason for this ''epidemic'' of cutaneous HPV infection is unclear and requires further study. Because of the increased frequency of HPV infection seen in a dermatology practice, clinical dermatologists should be able to recognize the different clinical manifestations of cutaneous HPV infection, and should understand the implications of immunosuppression on HPV infection, the role of HPV infection in genital neoplasms, and the implications of HPV in the treatment of HPV-induced cutaneous SCC. Evidence has recently been accumulating that HPV is the significant factor in the malignant transformation of certain cutaneous neoplasms. The strongest evidence for the cutaneous oncogenic potential of HPV is found in