Living with Bowen disease of the skin
An early, surface-level form of skin cancer that appears as red, scaly patches.
Understanding Bowen disease of the skin
It mostly affects white males in their 60s to 80s, in both sun-exposed and non-exposed skin. Sun (UV) damage and swallowing inorganic arsenic may play a role. It shows as single or multiple red, scaly patches or plaques. On the penis it is called erythroplasia of Queyrat, a painless red plaque. Full surgical removal may be curative.
Signs & symptoms
GARD describes how it looks on the skin:
- Red, scaly patches on the skin
- Thickened plaques
- Painless red plaque (on the penis)
Not everyone has every symptom. GARD's list comes from the Human Phenotype Ontology.
Diagnosis
- 1Talk with your doctor
Share the symptoms you've noticed, when they started and your family health history. Notes and photos can help.
- 2See a specialist
Your doctor may refer you to a specialist who knows rare conditions.
- 3Ask which tests can help
Your care team will decide which exams and tests can confirm the diagnosis.
Care & treatment
- Care team
- A doctor familiar with rare conditions, plus specialists as needed
- Expert care
- Ask about multidisciplinary care centers for rare conditions
- Treatment
- GARD doesn't list specific treatments for this condition. Your care team will tailor care to your symptoms.
- Research
- Clinical trials and observational studies may be options. See the research section below.
General information, not medical advice. Your care team makes the decisions.
Everyday life
Living with a rare condition is easier with support.
- Connect with American Cancer Society
- Keep notes on symptoms, changes and questions for appointments
- Ask about patient registries that help research
- Look into financial aid and travel resources for care visits
Quick facts
UV (sun) damage and swallowing inorganic arsenic may play a role in its development.
Also known as: bowen disease; bowen's disease; bowen's disease of the skin; bowens disease; disease, bowen; disease, bowen's
Patient organizations
- American Cancer SocietyBowen disease of the skin · United States
You are more than your diagnosis
Perspectives from people navigating life with Bowen disease of the skin.
Explore research for Bowen disease of the skin
Explore actively recruiting Bowen disease of the skin studies with HealthSpark.
Find actively recruiting studies for Bowen disease of the skin with HealthSpark. Share your city to explore research near you.
- Recruiting studies from ClinicalTrials.gov
- Share your city to look for research near you
- Eligibility is confirmed by the study team
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Powered by HealthSpark, our AI chat helper · Study information from ClinicalTrials.gov · Eligibility is confirmed by the study team.
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