Bowen’s disease is a rare type of skin disorder that affects the top layer of the skin. People suffering from this disorder slowly develop red, scaly patches on the outermost layer of the skin, the epidermis. The squamous cells, the cells in the outermost layer of the skin get affected by this disease. These red scaly patches also appear on the anus and genital areas. Bowen’s disease is not very serious but if it is left untreated it can lead to a rare type of cancer, squamous cell skin cancer. Men are more likely to get this disease and it mostly affects white people above the age of 60.
Symptoms
The most typical symptom of Bowen’s disease is the appearance of a red or reddish-brown patch or plaque of dry, scaly skin. These patches mostly appear on the legs but may also appear on the head, neck, palms of hands, soles of the feet, and around the genitals. A person may get several patches or just a single patch. They do not cause much discomfort but are:
- Flat
- Scaly
- Crusty
- Wider than half an inch
- Sore
- Oozing
- Itchy
When the patches appear on the genitals, the disorder is known as:
- Bowenoid papulosis, which affects both men and women and could last from a couple of weeks to 2 years.
- Erythroplasia of Queyrat, which appears on the tip of a penis and may cause itching and pain while urinating.
- Vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia, which affects women and may cause velvety bright patches.
Causes
The exact cause for developing Bowen’s disease is still not known but the risk factors that contribute towards increasing the chances of getting this disorder are:
- Aging
- Chronic exposure to the sun
- Chronic exposure to arsenic
- Fair skin with significant exposure to the skin
- Weakened immune system
- Human papillomavirus (HPV)
Bowen’s disease is not a genetic condition and it is also not infectious.
Treatment
There are several treatment options available for Bowen’s disease. Deciding the best treatment plan would require taking certain factors into account such as the location and number of patches or lesions, their appearance, age of the person, and overall health condition of the body. The various options available are:
- Cryotherapy: Freezing substances are applied to destroy the abnormal skin cells.
- Curettage: Special tools are used to burn the lesions and scrape them from the skin.
- Photodynamic therapy: Special drug is applied to the lesions, which when exposed to light, damages and destroys the skin cells.
- Surgical removal
- Topical chemotherapy
If a person has Bowen’s disease, he or she is at a higher risk for getting other types of skin cancer especially if he/she has a weakened immune system. One must have regular skin check-ups with the doctor to prevent or treat further complications.
Disclaimer: The information in no way constitutes, or should be construed as medical advice. Nor is the above article an endorsement of any research findings discussed in the article an endorsement for any of the source publications.
