For the first time, scientists linked a virus to aggressive cancer.
Scientists have directly linked a human papillomavirus (HPV) strain to the development of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC), the second most common skin cancer worldwide.
While cSCC has long been associated with DNA damage from ultraviolet light, researchers discovered that in one patient, a strain of beta-HPV had integrated into her DNA and was producing proteins that drove tumor growth.
This finding mirrors the role of other HPV strains in cervical and throat cancers but marks the first clear evidence of the virus as a direct trigger for skin cancer.
The patient, a 34-year-old woman with a rare genetic disorder that weakened her immune system, experienced recurring, treatment-resistant tumors. After receiving a bone marrow stem cell transplant, her immune defenses were restored, and astonishingly, both her cancers and other HPV-related symptoms disappeared.
This case highlights how viruses typically considered harmless can become dangerous in immunocompromised individuals—and how restoring immune function can stop them in their tracks. The discovery could transform approaches to diagnosing and treating virus-driven skin cancers, particularly in vulnerable patients like transplant recipients or those with genetic immune disorders.
Source: “Resolution of Squamous-Cell Carcinoma by Restoring T-Cell Receptor Signaling.” The New England Journal of Medicine, 31 July 2025.
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