Skin Tumors Associated With Cutaneous HPV Infection.

Abstract

Cutaneous human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are widely distributed and often present as commensals in normal skin. Although mucosal HPV types are well-established as drivers of oropharyngeal and anogenital cancers (e.g., HPV16 and 18) as well as condylomas and laryngeal papillomas (e.g., HPV6 and 11), the contribution of cutaneous HPVs to skin tumors remains more elusive. Over several decades, a multitude of studies has evaluated HPV presence across an array of epithelial skin neoplasms ranging from common warts and Bowen disease to nonmelanoma skin cancers such as squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). While the most established HPV association is with types 1-4 in the formation of skin warts, HPVs of the beta genus have long been examined for their association with epidermodysplasia verruciformis (EDV)-associated SCC and EDV-associated Bowen disease. Now, recent findings highlight potential HPV involvement in a broader spectrum of epithelial skin lesions, including adnexal tumors such as digital papillary adenocarcinoma and sebaceous tumors. This review synthesizes the literature and studies reported up to 2025, integrating epidemiological, molecular, and clinical findings to elucidate both our current understanding and the existing gaps in knowledge regarding HPV's complex and varied association with epithelial skin neoplasms.