Prevalence of human papillomavirus type 16-related DNA in cutaneous Bowen's disease and squamous cell cancer.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 and related types are frequently found in genital located Bowen's disease but they are only rarely identified in non-genital cutaneous Bowen's disease and squamous cell cancer (SCC). We used the polymerase chain reaction to detect HPV 16 and related DNA sequences in 205 formalin-fixed non-genital cutaneous Bowen's disease and SCC specimens from 159 non-immunosuppressed patients. HPV 16 and related DNA sequences could be detected in 12 of 198 cutaneous specimens from extra-genital sites other than the fingers and in 2 of 7 specimens from digital lesions. Our study suggests a minor but still not negligible role of HPV 16 and related HPV-types in the etiology of non-genital non-melanoma skin cancer of the general population.