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Case Reports
. 2015 Jul 25;7(2):178-82.
doi: 10.1159/000438504. eCollection 2015 May-Aug.

Two Cases of Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma Arising in Immunosuppressed Patients with Chronic Human Papillomavirus Infection

Yuki Kuma  1 , Takamichi Ito  1 , Konosuke Nagae  1 , Yukihiro Mizote  1 , Takeshi Nakahara  1 , Hiroshi Uchi  1 , Yuichi Yamada  2 , Masae Okura  3 , Yoshinao Oda  2 , Toshiharu Yamashita  3 , Masutaka Furue  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Two Cases of Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma Arising in Immunosuppressed Patients with Chronic Human Papillomavirus Infection

Yuki Kuma et al. Case Rep Dermatol. .

Abstract

Increasing evidence has suggested that human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are linked to a large subset of numerous malignant tumors, including mucosal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC); however, its involvement in cutaneous SCC has not fully been elucidated. Cutaneous SCC is the second most common type of skin cancer and is increasing in frequency every year. Since we have no satisfactory treatment for advanced SCC, it is important to provide a definitive diagnosis and appropriate therapeutic intervention at an early stage. Here, we present two cases of SCC arising in immunosuppressed patients. In these cases, we suspected the association between SCC and HPV infection histopathologically and succeeded in proving the presence of high-risk type HPV by PCR analysis (HPV 14 in case 1 and HPV 23 and 38 in case 2). Although it is unclear whether HPV actually induced SCC in our cases, our cases showed rapid progression comparing to typical courses of actinic keratosis (AK)/SCC. SCC and AK are common diseases; in daily practice, dermatologists examine many patients with immunosuppression of various causes. We should apply increased oncological vigilance to these patients to prevent an aggressive course of SCC/AK.

Keywords: Actinic keratosis; Histopathology; Human papilloma virus; Immunosuppressed patients; PCR; Squamous cell carcinoma.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Case 1. a A red mass on the head. b Biopsy specimen. Note the cytoplasmic vacuolation in the keratinocytes. HE. ×100.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Case 2. a Disseminated keratotic papules and erythema on the face. b Cytoplasmic vacuolation in the spinous and granular layer. HE. ×200.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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