Bowen's and non-Bowen's squamous intraepidermal neoplasia of the skin. Relationship to internal malignancy

Abstract

The relationship of Bowen's disease to internal malignancy is controversial. We have studied 72 cases of Bowen's disease and compared them with 58 cases of non-Bowen's squamous intraepidermal neoplasia (SIN). Clinical data were obtained in all cases in an attempt to identify carcinogens and to detect the occurrence of other cutaneous or internal malignancies. Internal malignancy was not found more commonly in patients with Bowen's disease than in those with other forms of SIN. However, 5.7% of all patients win SIN were found to have a concurrent internal malignancy. Other cutaneous malignancies were also more frequent in these groups and may relate to sun exposure. Evidence for arsenic ingestion was not found in most patients. We believe that SIN either as Bowen's or non-Bowen's type may serve as an important marker for the presence of internal malignancy.

Bowenoid papulosis: A clinicopathologic study with ultrastructural observations

“…51 average of 19.6% for the s e r i e~.~~-~~ The study of Andersen et indicates there is some controversy in the literature, but most evidence favors an increased risk of internal cancer in patients with BD. [37][38][39] In our series of patients with BP, clinical and microscopic evidence of invasive carcinoma was not observed. Cutaneous or extracutaneous malignant neoplasms did not occur in patients with BP during follow-up periods of as long as 18 years.…”

Guidelines for management of Bowen's disease

“…The apparent relationship between BD and internal malignancy was reported in 1959 44 and several studies subsequently supported this association. 6,[45][46][47][48] Multiple lesions of BD have been associated with higher risk but not confirmed in a U.K. population. 6 However, some studies found no significant association with internal malignancy for BD overall, 49 or for BD at specific sites such as perianal BD.…”

Multiple Bowen′s disease in chronic arsenicosis

“…[1,2] It is clinically found in elderly person as a solitary irregular well-defi ned scaly plaque on sun-exposed part of the body. [3][4][5][6][7].…”