ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that human papillomavirua(HPV) infection has been implicated in the pathogenesis of between disease and squamous cell cacoma of the skin, particularly of snogenital area. There is little knowledge about etiologic characteriscs of the development of Bowens disease and squamous cell earcinoma of the skin in Korean patients. OBJECTIVE: This study is intended to evaluate Bowens disease and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin in Korean patients for the presence of HPV. METHODS: Fifteen cases of Bowens disease and fifteen cases of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma were investigated. All cases developed on a nongenital site. In situ lybridization and polymerase chain reaction(PCR) were used for detection of HPV DNA in paraffinem bedded tissue sections. The clinical records and slides of these cases were reviewed for the analysis of clinicopathologic characteristiqs of HPV DNA positive eases. RESULTS: By in situ hybidization HPV 16 was detected in thrw cases(20%) with Bowens disease. By PCR HPV 16 was detected in six cases(40% ) of Bowens digreae and five cases(33.3) of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin. No specific clinicopathologic fetetues were found to be indicative of the presence or absence of HPV. CONCLUSION: These data suggest a role for HPV in the evolution of Bowens disease and squamous cell carcinoms of the skin in Korean patients.