Papillomaviruses in non-melanoma skin cancer: epidemiological aspects

Worldwide, non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSCs), which include squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC), are the most commonly diagnosed cancers among Caucasians. It is well established that ultraviolet radiation (UVR) plays a central role in the development of these cancers, and more recently, a role for specific genetic mutations in the pathogenesis of BCC has been identified. The possibility that certain types of HPV, either alone or in conjunction with UVR, may play a role in the pathogenesis of these cancers is suggested by several lines of evidence reviewed below.*9 @2depidemiology / non-melanoma skin cancer / papillomavirus