[Cutaneous carcinoma and papillomavirus 5. Discovered during prolonged UVA photochemotherapy].

INTRODUCTION

HPV 5 is an opportunistic oncogenic virus found mainly in patients with verruciform epidermodysplasia or in certain immunodepressed patients.

CASE

We report the case of a 48-year-old patient who developed, over a 5 year period, 30 skin carcinomas after prolonged puvatreatment. HPV 5 was identified. The course has been stable under treatment with etretinate and alpha-interferon.

COMMENTS

The role of ultraviolet irradiation as a carcinogenic agent is raised by this observation, both as a primary factor and as a local factor favouring immunosuppression and proliferation of opportunistic HVP.