Detection of HPV DNA (16 and 18) in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Tongue by Polymerase Chain Reaction

Abstract

Human papilloma virus (HPV) is one of the important causal agents of gynecological cancers which appears to play an important role in cancer of the oral cavity and oropharynx. This study evaluates the relationship between the presence of HPV and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the tongue in nonsmokers in south Iran. In this case-control study, pathologic specimens of 35 nonsmokers with a histological diagnosis of tongue SCC, compared with 30 specimen from patients with tongue lesions other than intraepithelial neoplasms. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect HPV16 and 18 genome in both groups. 10 out of 35 in the case group and one out of 30 in the control group, 28.5 percent versus 3.3 percent, showed the presence of the HPV genome by use of PCR. Chi-square test used for statistical analysis of data (p value=0.007). Nevertheless, the present study supports the strong association between HPV infection and tongue SCC in non-smokers. Tongue SCC is known as a rare disease, so the planning for more advanced studies to confirm this association and the use of proper HPV vaccination is strongly suggested; particularly when an increase of oro-genital practice worldwide increases the incidence of tongue SCC. .