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Bowen’s disease

Bowen’s disease condition results in one or more skin lesions and occasionally has uncomfortable symptoms.

Doctors may advise surgical removal or other medical treatments to address the skin lesions because the condition has the potential to progress to skin cancer. A person should consult a doctor if they suspect they may have Bowen’s disease or if a lesion on their body is changing.

Symptoms of Bowen’s diseases

The typical symptom of Bowen’s disease is an area of unhealing skin with distinct boundaries.

Some people possess multiple patches.

The patch could be:

  • Pink or red
  • Crusty or scaly
  • Flat or elevated
  • A few centimeters or smaller in size
  • Itchy

The patch can occur anywhere on the skin, but exposed places like the neck, head, and lower legs are where it seems to show up most frequently.

They occasionally hurt the groin and, in men, the penis. It may indicate that the patch has become squamous cell skin cancer if it bleeds, starts to change into an open sore (ulcer), or forms a lump.

    Symptoms of Bowen's diseases The typical symptom of Bowen's disease is an area of unhealing skin with distinct boundaries. Some people possess multiple patches. The patch could be: Pink or red Crusty or scaly Flat or elevated A few centimeters or smaller in size Itchy The patch can occur anywhere on the skin, but exposed places like the neck, head, and lower legs are where it seems to show up most frequently. They occasionally hurt the groin and, in men, the penis. It may indicate that the patch has become squamous cell skin cancer if it bleeds, starts to change into an open sore (ulcer), or forms a lump. Causes Certain factors are strongly linked: Usage of sunbeds or prolonged exposure to the sun, especially for those with pale skin Having a Weak Immune System Has undergone a radiotherapy treatment

    Causes 

    Certain factors are strongly linked:

    • Usage of sunbeds or prolonged exposure to the sun, especially for those with pale skin
    • Having a Weak Immune System 
    • Has undergone a radiotherapy treatment 
    • Often affecting the vaginal region and capable of causing genital warts is the human papillomavirus (HPV)

    Bowen’s illness is not contagious and does not run in families.

    Treatments for Bowen’s disease

    When treating Bowen’s disease, doctors take several things into account. These factors include a person’s age, general health, and the location and appearance of any lesions.

    • Cryotherapy involves spraying liquid nitrogen on the damaged skin to freeze it instantly
    • The damaged skin gets treated with imiquimod cream or chemotherapeutic cream for a few weeks
    • The afflicted region of skin is scraped away with curettage and cautery under local anesthetic
    • Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) involves applying a light-sensitive cream to the damaged area of skin and a laser to remove the aberrant cells a few hours later

    Reviewed by – Dr. Priyanka, MBBS MD Microbiology
    Page last reviewed: 16 JULY 2022