Human Papilloma Viruses and Skin Cancer

Abstract

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) infect squamous epithelia and can induce hyperproliferative lesions. More than 120 different HPV types have been characterized and classifled into flve different genera. While mucosal high-risk HPVs have a well-established causal role in anogenital carcinogenesis, the biology of cutaneous HPVs is less well understood. The clinical relevance of genus (3-PV infection has clearly been demonstrated in patients suffering from epidermodysplasia verruciformis (E V), a rare inherited disease associated with a high rate of skin cancer. In the normal population genus (3-PV are suspected to have an etiologic role in skin carcinogenesis as well but this is still controversially discussed. Their oncogenic potency has been investigated in mouse models and in vitro. In 2009, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified the genus β HPV types 5 and 8 as "possible carcinogenic" biological agents (group 2B) in EV disease.

This chapter will give an overview on the knowns and unknowns of infections with genus (3-PV and discuss their potential impact on skin carcinogenesis in the general population.