Abstract
The human papillomavirus (HPV) family comprises more than 170 different types that preferentially infect the mucosa of the genitals, upper-respiratory tract, or the skin. The ‘high-risk HPV type’, a sub-group of mucosal HPVs, is the cause of approximately 5% of all human cancers, which corresponds to one-third of all virus-induced tumours. Within the high-risk group, HPV16 is the most oncogenic type, being responsible for approximatively 50% of all worldwide cervical cancers. Many studies suggest that, in addition to the high-risk mucosal HPV types, certain cutaneous HPVs also have a role in the development of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC).Functional studies on the HPV early gene products showed that E6 and E7 play a key role in carcinogenesis. These two proteins use multiple mechanisms to evade host immune surveillance, allowing viral persistence, and to deregulate cell cycle and apoptosis control, thus facilitating the accumulation of DNA damage and ultimately cellular transformation.The demonstration that high-risk HPV types are the etiological agents of cervical cancer allowed the implementation in the clinical routine of novel screening strategies for cervical lesions, as well as the development of a very efficient prophylactic vaccine. Because of these remarkable achievements, there is no doubt that in the coming decades we will witness a dramatic reduction of cervical cancer incidence worldwide.
Highlights
The human papillomavirus (HPV) family comprises more than 170 different types that preferentially infect the mucosa of the genitals, upper-respiratory tract, or the skin
In addition to the high-risk mucosal HPV types, certain cutaneous HPVs have a role in the development of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC)
The demonstration that high-risk HPV types are the etiological agents of cervical cancer allowed the implementation in the clinical routine of novel screening strategies for cervical lesions, as well as the development of a very efficient prophylactic vaccine
Summary
The human papillomaviruses (HPV) consist of a heterogeneous group of capsid-enclosed dsDNA viruses from the Papillomaviridae family that display a distinct tropism for mucosal or cutaneous squamous epithelia. EV patients have an impaired immune system and have high susceptibility to widespread and persistent HPV infection of the skin As a consequence, they develop extensive verrucosis of confluent flat warts, which in approximately 30–60% of cases evolve into multifocal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in sun-exposed regions. Through the use of more sensitive diagnostic assays, it is clear nowadays that beta HPV-type infection is highly frequent in the skin of healthy individuals [21]. Their involvement in the development of NMSC in the general population is still not entirely demonstrated
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