Analysis of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and Polyomaviruses (HPyVs) in Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma (AdCC) of the Head and Neck Region Reveals Three HPV-Positive Cases with Adenoid Cystic-like Features

Abstract

An aetiological role of human papillomavirus (HPV) and/or human polyomaviruses (HPyVs) has been proposed in adenoid cystic carcinoma (AdCC). Moreover, HPV-related multiphenotypic carcinoma (HMSC) was recently introduced as an emerging entity of the sinonasal region. Here, we primarily want to study the role of HPV/HPyV in a large AdCC cohort and, secondly, possibly identify and characterize HMSC. Tumour DNA from 68 patients initially diagnosed with AdCC between 2000 and 2012 was, therefore, tested for 27 HPV types and 10 HPyVs. HPV DNA-positive samples were micromorphologically re-evaluated, further stained for p16INK4a, S100, p63 and CD117 and tested for the presence of the MYB-NFIB fusion transcript. Notably, no samples were HPyV-positive, while one sinonasal and two tonsillar carcinomas were HPV- and p16-positive. After re-evaluating the micromorphology, immunohistochemistry and presence of fusion transcripts, all tumours had the same appearance and fitted within the diagnosis of HMSC, but in all these three cases, the morphology of the HMSC and basaloid squamous cell carcinoma was overlapping. We conclude that HPV and HPyV have no major role in AdCC. However, based on our data, we also suggest that HMSC should be considered as a basaloid variant of squamous cell carcinoma, and not its own entity, until better characterized.

Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma, Clinical Presentation, Current Treatment and Approaches Towards Novel Therapies

“…Nevertheless, in one of our previous studies where we examined a large cohort of AdCC including 68 patients we did find HPV in three cases (37). Upon further analysis of these three cases none were later confirmed as being an AdCC, since two were later shown to be HPV-positive tonsillar cancers, while the third case was defined as being an HPV-related multiphenotypic sinonasal carcinoma (HMSC) (37,38).…”

“…Upon further analysis of these three cases none were later confirmed as being an AdCC, since two were later shown to be HPV-positive tonsillar cancers, while the third case was defined as being an HPV-related multiphenotypic sinonasal carcinoma (HMSC) (37,38). Based on these findings, we suggest that examining for the presence of HPV could be of diagnostic value in suspected AdCC cases where the diagnosis is unclear, since it could be helpful to define a possible differentially correct diagnosis (37).…”

Special Issue “HPV in the Head and Neck Region 2.0”

“…Recently, we presented a Special Issue on “HPV in the head and neck region” which included several contributions to the overall knowledge of HPV in the head and neck region. In this second “Special Issue on HPV in the head and neck region 2.0”, eight original articles, one review, and one systematic review are presented [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ].…”

“…One of the original articles investigated whether HPV or human polyomaviruses (HPyV) had an aetiological role in the development of adenoid cystic carcinoma (AdCC) in a cohort of 68 diagnosed with AdCC between 2000–2014; no cases with HPyV were detected, while three cases were HPV positive [ 1 ]. The authors conclude that neither HPV nor HPyV play a major role in the development of AdCC.…”

“…The authors conclude that neither HPV nor HPyV play a major role in the development of AdCC. However, when scrutinizing the tumour’s disclosing presence of HPV, the diagnosis was more likely to be an HPV-related multiphenotypic carcinoma than AdCC, although a strict subsite location to the sinonasal area was not found in these three tumours [ 1 ].…”