Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have made a groundbreaking discovery that links human papillomavirus beta (beta-HPV) to skin cancer, specifically cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). The study found that in immunocompromised individuals, beta-HPV can directly cause cSCC by integrating into the DNA of skin cells and producing viral proteins.
The discovery was made possible through a 34-year-old woman who suffered from recurrent cSCC on her forehead. Despite multiple surgeries and treatments, the tumor repeatedly grew back. Genetic analysis revealed that beta-HPV had integrated into the tumor’s DNA, contradicting previous theories that it merely facilitates the accumulation of DNA mutations caused by UV radiation.
Further investigation revealed that the woman’s inherited immune disorder, which hampered T cell activation in response to skin-cell infection by beta-HPV, was responsible for her worsening HPV-related diseases. A personalized stem cell transplant to replace defective T cells with healthy ones successfully cured all her HPV-related diseases, including cSCC.
The study’s authors suggest that other individuals with defective T-cell responses may also be susceptible to cancer caused directly by beta-HPV. The findings highlight the importance of considering immunological factors in the development and treatment of skin cancer.
Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-07-beta-hpv-skin-cancer-immunocompromised.html