From the Guidelines
Bowenoid papulomatosis is a premalignant clinical entity, a form of penile intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN), characterized by raised papules on the penile shaft skin, often associated with HPV infection.
Key Characteristics
- Typically occurs in young, sexually active men 1
- Most common on the glans, over the shaft, prepuce, and groin, and can also be seen around the anus 1
- Histologically indistinguishable from Bowen’s disease and erythroplasia of Queyrat, but has a lower risk of developing into squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) 1
Risk Factors
Diagnosis and Treatment
- Early biopsy is essential to establish the diagnosis 1
- Treatment can be difficult, especially in cases with urethral involvement 1
- Circumcision is an important component of management in most cases of PIN 1
From the Research
Definition and Characteristics
- Bowenoid papulosis (BP) is characterized clinically by its benign-looking appearance and histologically by the features of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (SILs) 2
- It is a condition with specific features that distinguish it clinically and histologically from carcinoma in situ and condylomata acuminata 3
- BP is manifested by clinically benign-appearing papules of the anogenital region, which histologically shows the changes of squamous cell carcinoma in situ 4
Etiology and Association
- A strong association between BP and high-risk types of human papillomavirus (HPV), especially HPV 16, has been reported 2, 5
- The condition is related to HPV and presents with gray-brown elevated papules or plaques 6
- Some evidence suggests a viral origin on the basis of infection with high-risk oncogenic genotypes of human papilloma viruses (HPV 16/18 and others) and an association with cervical carcinoma 5
Diagnosis and Treatment
- A biopsy is needed to confirm the diagnosis of BP 6
- Dermoscopy may be useful to differentiate this disease from other conditions, such as genital warts, seborrheic keratosis, and lichen planus 6
- Imiquimod cream (Aldara) has been used as a safe, efficacious, and practical patient-applied therapeutic option for the treatment of BP 5
- Conservative therapy is suggested for BP, and most lesions undergo resolution by local treatments or even spontaneously 2, 4