Bowen disease
Meaning of Bowen disease: Bowen disease is an early, noninvasive skin cancer confined to the epidermis, most often linked to sun exposure rather than a single cause.
Definition of Bowen disease
Bowen disease is a form of skin cancer in which abnormal squamous cells are confined to the epidermis, the outermost layer of skin, without yet invading the deeper tissue beneath it. This pattern is also described using the more technical term squamous cell carcinoma in situ, reflecting that it is an early stage of cancer rather than a condition that only might become cancer.
Bowen disease most often develops on skin that has received significant cumulative sun exposure, and it can also be associated with certain strains of human papillomavirus, particularly when it involves the genital or nail region, and with past arsenic exposure, a recognized but less common contributing factor. It typically appears as a slow-growing, scaly or crusted patch that can be mistaken for eczema or psoriasis.
If left untreated, Bowen disease can eventually progress to an invasive squamous cell carcinoma capable of spreading beyond the skin, which is why the patches are generally removed or treated once identified.
Also known as
Used in a sentence
A biopsy of the slow-growing scaly patch on the patient's forearm confirmed Bowen disease.
Good to know
Bowen disease is sometimes still called a precancerous condition, though it is more accurately an early, noninvasive cancer already confined to the epidermis rather than a change that merely precedes cancer.