HPV-linked nail skin cancer may not be a common result of nail polish, experts say

Skin cancer under the nails can be overlooked or diagnosed late because it is less of a suspicion, but one dermatologist frequently describes abnormal areas literally from the head to the toenails. A skin check is recommended.

A story recently circulated on the internet of a woman who cut her finger while manicuring, but it didn’t heal, and months later she was diagnosed with skin cancer caused by HPV. I spoke with Dr. Maral K. Skelsey, a dermatologist and Morse Surgeon practicing in Chevy Chase, State, and spokesperson for The Skin Cancer Foundation, to discuss the likelihood of developing skin cancer and how patients can develop it. Learn more about what to look for in case of skin cancer. Suspect near the nail.

“When people get hurt, they get cuts, but they don’t necessarily develop skin cancer,” says Skelsey. “But I think it’s important to be fully aware of the signs of skin cancer.”

CURE®: What was your first reaction when you saw this article online?

Maral: What I found interesting about that incident is that they had some kind of entrance and injuries.

What I see more commonly in my practice is someone who is diagnosed with warts, treated for warts for a long time, and eventually someone does a biopsy and is diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma. , seems to occur more frequently than the scenario in which one sustains a single injury and develops warts from that single injury.

of wart virus is everywhereMost of the time people have them on their fingers. However, I had a dark-skinned black patient not long ago. She had warts that had been treated for a long time. She had a biopsy and it turned out she had squamous cell (cancer). This is not uncommon. The index of suspicion can be slightly lower for darker-skinned types. Therefore, the darker the skin (the patient’s), the later the (skin cancer) will be diagnosed.

(It’s) not just squamous cells. Nail melanoma, for example, can be diagnosed very late because it can be co-infected. The patient had recently also had a fungal infection, had been treated for fungi, and cultures remained positive for the fungus. And it was always attributed to it being a fungus. But I actually needed a different kind of biopsy, a biopsy of the nail matrix. And at that point, when it was done, it was determined that it was nail melanoma.

Do you think the woman in the story was eventually diagnosed with cancer despite having this cut during a manicure?

It is very difficult to know. Many people get cuts while applying nail polish in their daily life (or), but they are exposed to the virus and get skin cancer.

What seems more likely is that she could have had the virus, and certainly could have gotten it from a cut, but the virus was already there and she had a skin infection. I think it’s highly likely that you’ve developed cancer.

There are about 15 subtypes of HPV associated with cancer. Therefore, not all warts are prone to developing into skin cancer, but because there are multiple types, like genital warts, the HPV vaccine is especially useful for her HPV-induced cancer in women. Promoted to reduce risk. Anal cancer is related to her HPV. Her HPV in the oral mucosa is known to be involved in the development of oropharyngeal cancer, so it resembles penile and vulvar cancer. These anatomic areas have her HPV-related cancers, so it’s possible that the virus itself isn’t the only location. But like I said, not all her HPV is cancer related.

How is nail skin cancer usually treated?

Nail skin cancer is treated the same as other skin cancers. For example, for squamous cell carcinoma of the nail, we don’t know the extent of the patients who have been to the nail salon, but Mohs microscopic surgery has the highest cure rate for squamous cell carcinoma of the nail. They should be taken one by one, examined under a microscope, and evaluated on all edges to determine if skin cancer remains. It has the highest cure rate because it examines 100% of the tissue in the process.

There are a variety of treatment options, including nail removal and dermatologic surgery, where current treatment focuses on sparing the finger. Finger amputation has been the cure for everyone. And now our goal is to find these early and treat them to save the finger. This allows you to save as much of your fingers and toes as possible to prevent the entire finger from being amputated.

What advice would you give to a patient, caregiver, or family member who sees this story and is wondering what to do?

Recognizing the signs of skin cancer is very important. In addition to seeing a dermatologist annually for a professional exam, the Skin Cancer Foundation recommends that everyone see their entire skin from head to toe monthly.

When talking about doing a full skin exam, the Skin Cancer Foundation recommends that everyone looks at themselves from head to toe. It means looking at the back, scalp, and oral mucosa. Examine every part of the body, including the nails, looking for anything new or changing.

In addition, it is important to adopt holistically Lifestyle habits that help prevent skin cancerThe number one method recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation is to use sunscreen. We recommend an SPF of at least 30. Seeking shade to avoid sunburn, long-sleeved clothing, wide-brimmed hats, and sunglasses are very important in the prevention process. Sunbathing indoors increases the risk of skin cancer.

It is true that many people go to nail salons. I just went there myself, so I think it’s important to go to a place where you have confidence. In that article, a woman who wasn’t sure that the instrument was a package of new instruments, and wasn’t sure if it was opened just for her, which is (and) important. While you may want to go to a place where you have confidence that your instruments are properly sterilized, I don’t think it’s dangerous for someone to trim your nails.

Transcript edited for clarity and brevity.

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