%X In this issue of Cancer Cell, Son et al. highlight an unexpected role for skin β-papillomaviruses in the protection against skin carcinogenesis. T cell immunity to skin papillomaviruses blocks the expansion of p53 mutant clones in ultraviolet (UV) radiation-damaged skin, preventing the development of skin cancer. %K Science & Technology, Life Sciences & Biomedicine, Oncology, Cell Biology, SQUAMOUS-CELL CARCINOMA %J Cancer Cell %A Marta Lebrusant-Fernandez %A James L Reading %T Beta papillomaviruses: From foe to friend in skin cancer immunity %N 1 %C United States %L discovery10206164 %I CELL PRESS %V 43 %P 6-7 %D 2025 %O This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.