Putative Tissue-Based Biomarkers of Male Genital Lichen Sclerosus-A Systematic Literature Review

Male genital lichen sclerosis (mGLS) is a chronic progressive inflammatory disease with potential complications including urethral strictures and penile cancer. Despite its clinical significance, the molecular mechanisms underlying mGLS remain poorly understood, and male-specific data are limited. This systematic review consolidates current evidence on tissue-based gene and protein expression in mGLS, aiming to identify commonly investigated biomarkers and highlight gaps in the literature. Using the JBI Sumari interface, our research strategy identified a total of 24 studies with considerable variability in targets and methodologies. Only a small subset of 12 genes and proteins was assessed and only one gene, p16, was assessed across multiple studies, limiting the strength of conclusions. QIAGEN Ingenuity Pathway Analysis was used to explore canonical pathways and disease associations linked to reported biomarkers. While preliminary patterns suggest involvement of inflammatory and fibrotic pathways, further research is needed to validate these findings and assess their diagnostic, prognostic or therapeutic potential. This review provides a foundation for future studies focused on improving molecular understanding and clinical management of mGLS.