Bowen's disease

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Bowen's disease
Classification and external resources

Bowen's disease as seen under a microscope
ICD-10 D04 (ILDS D04.L10)
ICD-9 230-234
ICD-O: 8081/2
DiseasesDB 1569
eMedicine derm/59
MeSH D001913

Bowen's disease (BD) (also known as "squamous cell carcinoma in situ"[1]) is a neoplastic skin disease; it can be considered as an early stage or intraepidermal form of squamous cell carcinoma. It was named after John T. Bowen. (Erythroplasia of Queyrat is a particular type of squamous cell carcinoma in situ which can arise on the glans or prepuce in both males and females, and may be induced by HPV.[2])

Causes

Causes of BD include solar damage, arsenic, immunosuppression (including AIDS), viral infection (human papillomavirus or HPV), chronic skin injury, and other dermatoses.[3]

Signs and symptoms

Bowen's disease typically presents as a gradually enlarging, well-demarcated erythematous plaque with an irregular border and surface crusting or scaling[citation needed]. BD may occur at any age in adults, but is rare before the age of 30 years; most patients are aged over 60[citation needed]. Any site may be affected, although involvement of palms or soles is uncommon[citation needed]. BD occurs predominantly in women (70-85% of cases)[citation needed]. About 60-85% of patients have lesions on the lower leg, usually in previously or presently sun-exposed areas of skin[citation needed].

This is a persistent, progressive, non-elevated, red, scaly or crusted plaque which is due to an intraepidermal carcinoma and is potentially malignant[citation needed]. The lesions may occur anywhere on the skin surface, including on mucosal surfaces. Freezing, cauterization or diathermy coagulation is often effective treatment[citation needed].

Histology

Bowen's disease is essentially equivalent to squamous cell carcinoma in situ. Atypical squamous cells proliferate through the whole thickness of the epidermis. The entire tumor is confined to the epidermis and does not invade into the dermis. The cells in Bowen's are often highly atypical under the microscope, and may in fact look more unusual than the cells of some invasive squamous cell carcinomas.

Treatment

Photodynamic therapy (PDT), cryotherapy (freezing), or local chemotherapy (with 5-fluorouracil) are favored by some clinicians over excision[citation needed]. Because the cells of Bowen's disease have not invaded the dermis, it has a much better prognosis than invasive squamous cell carcinoma. Outstanding results[citation needed] have been noted with the use of imiquimod for Bowen's disease, including on the penis (erythroplasia of Queyrat), although imiquimod is not (as of 2013) approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of any type of squamous cell carcinoma, and serious side effects can occur with use of imiquimod[citation needed].

Additional images

References

  1. James, William; Berger, Timothy; Elston, Dirk (2005). Andrews' Diseases of the Skin: Clinical Dermatology. (10th ed.). Saunders. ISBN 0-7216-2921-0.
  2. J Invest Dermatol 2000 Sep;115(3):396-401
  3. Duncan KO, Geisse JK, and DJ Leffell. (2008). "Ch. 113: Epithelial precancerous lesions". In Wolff K, et al. Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine (7th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. ISBN 978-0-07-146690-5. 

External links

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