Preliminary Study on Human Papillomavirus Frequency and Specific Type-distribution in Vulva Cancer from Thai Women

Abstract

Vulva cancer is rare among all gynecological cancer worldwide, including Thailand, and mainly affects older women. Persistent high risk type infection of human papillomavirus (HPV) is the one important factor for developing cancer. In this study, we focused on HPV DNA investigation and type-specific distribution of HPV in 25 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples collected from Thai women with vulva cancer histologically confirmed by the National Cancer Institute, Thailand, during 2003-2011. HPV DNA detection and genotyping were undertaken with polymerase-chain reaction and enzyme-immunoassay using GP5+/bio6+ consensus specific primers and digoxigenin-labeled specific oligoprobes, respectively. Human β-globin genes was used as the internal control. Our results showed that 44% (11/25) of all vulva cancer samples were HPV-positive. All of them are high risk HPV type infection, detected as single (63.64%, 7/11) and/or double infections (4/11, 36.36%). HPV 16 was the most common type identified in vulva cancer, followed by HPV 35, 33, 18 and 58. In conclusion, this study presented that HPV-16 is observed at the highest frequency in this cancer, similar to cervical cancer, with HPV 18 being less frequent. Although the sample size was small and could not represent overall incidence and prevalence in Thai women, these preliminary data for vulva cancer are of interest since they reinforce the necessity for HPV screening or vaccination in Thailand.

HPV Detection and Genotyping in Vulvar Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Northern Thailand

“…To estimate the potential benefit of HPV vaccine in the prevention of vulvar cancer, the knowledge of HPV prevalence and genotype distribution is of paramount importance. There has been very limited data on HPV prevalence and genotype distribution in vulvar cancer from countries in the Southeast Asian region, with only a single previous study from Thailand to our knowledge (De Vuyst et al, 2009;Smith et al, 2009;Del Pino et al, 2013;Ngamkham et al, 2013). That study reported a series of 25 patients of vulvar SCC with rather limited clinicopathological information .…”

Detection and Type-Distribution of Human Papillomavirus in Vulva and Vaginal Abnormal Cytology Lesions and Cancer Tissues from Thai Women

“…Single use blade, groves and sterile forceps were used to prevent carry-over contaminant with the different samples. After deparaffinization with xylene, twice rehydration in absolute ethanol and discharge the remaining ethanol, all of samples were dried at room temperature to ensure that no residual ethanol (Ngamkham et al, 2013). Genomic DNA extraction was performed using QIAamp DNA Mini kit (QIAGEN, Germany) according to the manufacturer's instruction and genomic DNA quality was evaluated by polymerase-chain reaction with β-globin primers (Jacob et al, 1996); sense 5'-ACA CAA CTG TGT TCA CTA GC-3' and antisense 5'-GAA ACC CAA GAG TCT TCT CT-3'.…”

Diagnostic Difficulties in Pathological Laboratories in Developing Countries: A Case Report of Differentiated Squamous Cell Carcinoma in a Young Togolese Woman

“…In fact, in our case, without the collaboration with a pathological laboratory in France, this diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma would not have been established. Many studies have confirmed the role of oncogenic HPV in the genesis of neoplasia, as with squamous privileged location [ 1 , 3 ]. Infections with HPV 16 and 18 are associated with a major risk of genital cancers, causing an increase in the frequency of these cancers [ 4 ].…”

“…Our clinical cases of squamous cell carcinoma cancer concerned a young woman who showed no particular medical history and who developed a cancer 3 years after her first sexual intercourse. However, the vulvae cancer is observed in the elderly between 6th and 7th decade with mucosa estrogen deficiency, according to the literature [ 1 , 3 ]. In a study, Zekan et al found 28% of HPV in the age group of 20–22 years and the induction period of cancer was estimated between 20 and 30 years after the first sexual intercourse [ 5 ].…”

“…The patient in our study reported to have had her first sexual intercourse at 20 years old and as such was deemed to have a lower risk of developing carcinoma. The risk of developing genital cancer is three times higher in women with almost ten sexual partners than in those having one partner [ 3 ]. In our case, the woman had only one sexual partner since her first sexual intercourse.…”