Importance of human papillomaviruses for the development of skin cancer.
The frequent detection of HPV DNA in non-melanoma skin cancers was shown in several studies; however, the role of HPV in the development of these cancers remains speculative. We analyzed different skin tumors, normal skin, and hair follicles for HPV DNA using a PCR system designed to detect all HPV types known so far. HPV DNA was found in 93% of common warts, 69% of squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), 52% of basal cell carcinomas (BCC), 41% of actinic keratoses, 31% of extragenital Bowen's disease, 22% of keratoacanthomas, 16% of normal skin tissues and 47% of hair follicles. No individual HPV type predominated in any of the skin tumors. The number of HPV genomes in individual neoplasms (SCC and BCC) seems to be less than I per cancer cell. These results indicate that a direct role of HPV in skin cancerogenesis remains questionable. Possibly, mechanisms different from the activity of HPV oncoproteins in genital cancers are involved in skin neoplastic transformation.
Meyer
T
T
Institute of Immunology, Pathology and Molecular Biology, Hamburg, Germany.
Arndt
R
R
Christophers
E
E
Nindl
I
I
Stockfleth
E
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000821:virology*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000821:virology*; D002648:Child; D015344:DNA Probes, HPV / Q000032:analysis; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D018859:Hair Follicle / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012867:Skin / Q000821:virology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000821:virology*; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000821:virology*
D015344:DNA Probes, HPV; D004279:DNA, Viral