Abstract
BackgroundHuman papillomavirus (HPV) prevalence in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) diverges geographically. The reliability of using p16INK4a expression as a marker of viral infection is controversial in HNSCC. We evaluated HPV types and HPV-16 variants prevalence, and p16INK4a expression in HNSCC specimens provided by two different Institutions in São Paulo.MethodsHPV DNA from formalin-fixed specimens was accessed by Inno-LiPA, HPV-16 variants by PCR-sequencing, and p16INK4a protein levels by immunohistochemistry.ResultsOverall, HPV DNA was detected among 19.4 % of the specimens (36/186). Viral prevalence was higher in the oral cavity (25.0 %, 23/92) then in other anatomical sites (oropharynx 14,3 %, larynx 13.7 %) when samples from both Institutions were analyzed together. HPV prevalence was also higher in the oral cavity when samples from both Institutions were analyzed separately. HPV-16 was the most prevalent type identified in 69.5 % of the HPV positive smaples and specimens were assigned into Asian-American (57.2 %) or European (42.8 %) phylogenetic branches. High expression of p16INK4a was more common among HPV positive tumors.ConclusionOur results support a role for HPV-16 in a subset of HNSCC.
Highlights
Human papillomavirus (HPV) prevalence in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) diverges geographically
HPV prevalence in HNSCC ranges from 10 % to 90 % dependent of the geographical region and the anatomical site of the tumor [5]
Our aim was to analyze the prevalence of HPV types and HPV-16 variants in HNSCC from different anatomical sites of individuals treated at two Institutions in the city of São Paulo, and further evaluate p16INK4a protein levels in these samples
Summary
Human papillomavirus (HPV) prevalence in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) diverges geographically. We evaluated HPV types and HPV-16 variants prevalence, and p16INK4a expression in HNSCC specimens provided by two different Institutions in São Paulo. Worldwide head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common type of cancer with an estimated annual incidence of approximately 600,000 cases [1]. HNSCC comprises squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) of the oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx and hypopharynx. Alcohol and tobacco consumption is the leading predisposing risk factor for HNSCC development [3], there are epidemiological evidences that human papillomavirus (HPV) infection further plays an etiological role. HPV prevalence in HNSCC ranges from 10 % to 90 % dependent of the geographical region and the anatomical site of the tumor [5]. HPV-positive HNSCC are more common among young adults and non-smokers, and these individuals respond better to treatment and have better survival than their HPV-negative counterparts [7]
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