Human papillomavirus in head and neck cancer: Molecular biology and clinicopathological correlations

Abstract

Human papillomaviruses are known to cause cancers of the cervix and other anogenital tract sites. Epidemiologic and molecular pathology studies have also suggested that HPV infection may be associated with cancers of the head and neck. Modes of transmission of HPV infection in the head and neck region have not been fully resolved; however, perinatal transmission and an association between sexual behavior and risk for HPV-positive cancers have been presented. Among the HPV types infecting the mucosa, high-risk, intermediate-risk and low-risk genotypes are defined, depending on their presence in carcinoma or precursor lesions. The phylogenic groups of HPVs also showed a definite correlation with the morphology of head and neck tumors. The groups A6, A7, and A9 include viruses that are frequently demonstrated in basaloid and verrucosus squamous cell carcinomas known to associate with HPV infection. Integration of HPV DNA into the host cell genome occurs early in cancer development and is an important event in malignant transformation. There is a trend for patients with HPV-positive tumors to be nondrinkers or light drinkers, the majority of these patients are females, and the median age is lower than in the case of HPV-negative tumors, but this latter difference was not always statistically significant. In the Kaplan-Meier survival model, the HPV-positive verrucous and basaloid squamous cell carcinomas showed better survival rates than the HPV-negative typical squamous cell carcinomas. An increased radiocurability of HPV-positive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has also been demonstrated.

Investigation of HPV Infection and P53 Expression in Laryngeal Verrucous Carcinoma

“…4,5,17,22,27 Szentirmay et al concluded that epidemiologic and extensive laboratory evidence supports the association between HPV and a subset of cancers of the oral cavity, orapharynx, and larynx. 28 In addition, they pointed out that HPV-positive cancers of the head and neck region were more likely to have verrucous histological features. 28 Our findings are in agreement with previous reports of the presence of HPV DNA in VC.…”

“…28 In addition, they pointed out that HPV-positive cancers of the head and neck region were more likely to have verrucous histological features. 28 Our findings are in agreement with previous reports of the presence of HPV DNA in VC. 4,17,22,29,30 …”

Humán papillomavírus asszociált méhnyak-megbetegedések Magyarországon: epidemiológia és a HPV-típusok összefüggése a párhuzamosan végzett citológiai diagnózissal

“…Ebben a régióban HPV-fertőzés és ezzel párhuzamosan laphámrákok előfordulási gyakoriságának emelkedése nők-nél figyelhető meg, amely a szexuális szokások megválto-zásával függhet össze [14][15][16]. Összesen 136 fej-nyaki laphámrákot felölelő korábbi munkánkban az oropharingealis rákok 48,5%-a, a gégerákok 35,7%-a volt HPVpozitív, és Magyarországon is az alkoholt nem fogyasztó HPV-betegek körében a nők voltak túlsúlyban [3]. Ezek a korábbi adatok nagyon jól korrelálnak azzal a jelenlegi megfigyelésünkkel, hogy a 2009 és 2015 közötti időin-tervallumban férfiaknál egyik fej-nyaki lokalizációban sem változott a megbetegedések és halálozások aránya,…”

“…A rendelkezésre álló adatok viszont arra utalnak, hogy döntően a magas carcinogen rizikójú (HR) HPV-típus lehet felelős a méhnyakrák és rákmeg-előző állapotok kialakulásáért. Az L1 gén DNS-szekvenciája alapján a genetikailag rokon HPV-típusok elkülö-nülő alcsoportokat alkotnak [2,3]. Legutóbb az IACR Working Group foglalkozott a HPV-rizikócsoportokkal és a genetikai hasonlóság, valamint a méhnyakrákban előforduló gyakoriság alapján új HPV-csoportosítást javasolt [4].…”

The role of human papillomaviruses in cancer progression

“…[78] The organisation of the life cycle of HPVs in the development of lower genital tract neoplasias is well established. [79][80][81][82] Retrospective studies have reported that almost all the women with cervical cancers are infected with HPV and in the more severe cases, that are squamous cell carcinomas, HPV16 is the most prevalent type observed in 90% of the cases [40,52,83,84] Ten percent of the cervical cancers are adenocarcinomas that are mostly caused by HPV infections. [40] Women with HPV16 (61%) and HPV18 (10%) were shown to have 200 fold higher risks for the development of cervical cancers.…”