Bowen’s Disease Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment – Healthline

Bowens disease is an early form of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), a type of skin cancer.

The disease is also known as SCC in situ. The term in situ means that it develops on the top layer of the skin, called the epidermis, and remains in the place that it originally developed.

Bowens disease typically involves a red, scaly, crusty lesion. The lesion might look like other skin conditions, such as eczema (a condition that makes your skin red and itchy) or psoriasis.

Since Bowens disease is an SCC, its important you get medical attention right away. Read on to learn about the causes of Bowens disease, plus how its diagnosed and treated.

For most people, Bowens disease is characterized by a single lesion. About 10 to 20 percent of people with Bowens disease develop multiple lesions.

The lesion most commonly develops on your head or neck. It typically looks like a red, scaly patch, or a plaque. Symptoms include:

It can take 2 to 40 years for your lesion to reach its full size, so its important for you to get it identified and treated early.

For some people, their lesions might be asymptomatic and cause no symptoms at all.

The specific cause of Bowens disease is currently unknown. But there are certain factors associated with the disease.

These include:

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Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a major contributor to Bowens disease.

Over time, UV radiation damages the DNA in your skin. This can lead to cancerous conditions like Bowens disease.

Sources of UV radiation include:

The p53 gene is a gene that suppresses tumors. A mutation of this gene can lead to various forms of tumors, including those involved in skin cancer.

A weakened immune system can increase the expression of a p53 mutation. This may cause Bowens disease.

Causes of a compromised immune system include:

A human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is another potential cause of Bowens disease. Several types of HPV may be associated with the disease.

Arsenic is a metal element thats toxic to humans. Its tasteless and odorless.

Chronic arsenic exposure can lead to Bowens disease. It takes about 10 years to develop after your first exposure.

Exposure to arsenic can happen due to:

You may be more likely to develop Bowens disease if you:

The following images show Bowens disease on different parts of the body, including Bowens disease of the nail.

Bowens disease is a type of SCC, a type of cancer. It can be successfully treated using various methods, but it should be treated early or else it can become invasive.

The best treatment for Bowens disease depends on several factors:

Treatment options include:

The most common option is surgical removal. Its usually used for smaller lesions.

During the procedure, a surgeon will cut out your lesion, along with a thin margin of normal tissue around it.

This treatment is highly effective. But it will leave a scar.

In topical chemotherapy, a medicated cream is applied to your lesion. These creams work by destroying the cancerous skin cells.

The creams used for this purpose include 5-fluorouracil or imiquimod 5 percent. They may be used in combination with other Bowens disease treatments.

Cryosurgery, or cryotherapy, uses extreme cold to kill your abnormal skin cells. It typically uses liquid nitrogen or argon gas.

Generally, this treatment is recommended if you have one lesion at a location on your body that heals well.

Curettage is a surgical procedure. It involves scraping the lesions off of your skin.

After curettage, your lesion might be burned with an electrical current. This is called cauterization.

Radiotherapy uses high doses of radiation to destroy the lesion. Types of radiotherapy used for Bowens disease include:

Radiotherapy is often used for lesions on areas that are hard to treat, such as your scalp, penis if you have one, and around your anus. Radiotherapy is one of the more expensive treatment options.

In photodynamic therapy, a light-sensitizing agent is applied to your lesion for 3 hours. A light is then projected onto the targeted area, which selectively destroys the damage.

The following methods are used to diagnose Bowens disease:

See a doctor if you have new, unexplained skin lesions or growths. Symptoms that might mean you have skin cancer include:

There are multiple options for effective Bowens disease treatments. So, for most people, the recovery rate is high.

The key is to treat Bowens disease as early as possible. Thats because its more difficult to treat in its later stages.

Since Bowens disease is a type of skin cancer, youll need to take certain precautions after treatment. This includes:

Its possible to lower your risk of developing Bowens disease. This includes:

Getting regular skin checkups can also help catch Bowens disease early, when treatment is most effective.

Bowens disease is a cancerous condition. It involves scaly patches that can turn into skin cancer over time. The most common cause is prolonged sun exposure, but HPV infections, arsenic exposure, and a compromised immune system can also play a role.

Its possible to treat Bowens disease. Your abnormal skin cells can be destroyed using treatments such as surgical removal, radiotherapy, topical chemotherapy, and cryosurgery.

When treated early, Bowens disease has a high recovery rate. The best way to lower your risk is to avoid or limit excess sun exposure.

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Bowen's Disease Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment - Healthline