Bowen's Disease

Bowen's disease is just one more name for a pre-invasive form of squamous cell skin cancer. This disease is also called as Bowen's among dermatologists. Bowen's, most usually, looks like a bright-red or pink scaly patch, spotted on previously or presently sun-exposed skin. Both severe solar damage and inorganic arsenic ingestion have been implicated as etiologic factors in the development of Bowen disease. If left uncured, the Bowen's disease can develop into an invasive cancer and spread into the lymphatic system.

Sometimes one can turn into true skin cancer. It is generally persistent and progressive, with a small potential for invasive malignity, although spontaneous partial regression may occur. Bowen's disease may develop on any part of the body, however, the lower legs are most commonly affected. Exposure to sunlight is a known risk factor, though the actual cause of Bowen's disease is unknown. Bowen's disease influences both males and females. Women are affected in the genital area thrice as often as men. The disease may arise at any age, but is rare in children.

Bowen's Disease is differentiated by a precancerous, slow growing skin malignancy. It is much more common after the age of 60. People with mild Arsenic poisoning didn't die, but tend to form cancers, both of the skin and internally. It usually takes months to develop and expands very slowly over several months or years. It is occassionally mistaken for a patch of psoriasis or eczema, but does not respond to the normal topical treatments for those conditions. When Bowen's is present in the vulval area (between a woman's legs) there can be white patches on the skin called leukoplakia.

The cause most publically found is trivalent arsenic compounds. The human papilloma virus also has been accounted as a cause of Bowen disease, specifically HPV 16. Genetics, trauma, other chemical carcinogens, and radiation also may play a role. Freezing, cauterization or diathermy coagulation is often effective. The condition isn't contagious and treatment is usually successful.

Causes of Bowen's Disease

The common causes and risk factor's of Bowen's Disease contain the following:

• The exact cause of Bowen's disease is unknown.
• Exposure to sunlight is a known risk factor.
• Genetic factors.
• Other possible causes include trauma, other chemical carcinogens, and x-ray radiation.
• A particular type of Bowen's called bowenoid papulosis is associated with infection with a type of genital wart virus called HPV-16. 
• Exposure to arsenic.

Symptoms of Bowen's Disease

Some evidences and symptoms related to Bowen's Disease are as follows:

• A red scaly patch often on the legs.
• Persistent, scaly red patch with irregular borders that sometimes crusts or bleeds.
• Itching.
• In some cases, the affected skin may become sore and bleed.
• Pinkish or brownish raised areas of skin.
• A plaque situated on or within the skin (intraepidermal).

Treatment of Bowen's Disease

Here is list of the methods for treating Bowen's Disease:

• Surgical removal of the tumor, that may embody removal of the skin around the tumor (wide excision), is often recommended.
• Imiquimod 5% cream, a topical immune response modifier, applied 3-7 d/wk resembles to be a successful treatment option for Bowen disease.
• Freezing with liquid nitrogen.
• Consider x-ray or grenz-ray radiation therapy for poor surgical candidates or patients having multiple lesions.
• Chemotherapy can be used if surgery and radiation fail, but it is usually minimally effective.
• Laser surgery may be considered in special situations.

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