Verrucous Carcinoma of the Larynx: Possible Human Papillomavirus Etiology

Abstract

\s=b\Verrucous carcinoma of the larynx is a distinct and uncommon variant of wel l \x=req-\ differentiated squamous cell carcinoma.By DNA hybridization techniques, we clearly demonstrated human papillomavirus HPV-16\p=n-\related)sequences in five patients with this neoplasm. In addition, HPV-16\p=n-\relatedsequences were found in adjacent normal tissues. The DNAs from squamous cell carcinomas of the larynx were negative when hybridized to HPV-6, -11, or -16. Postirradiation anaplastic transformation of verrucous carcinoma has been described. We believe that radiotherapy should not be given unless the potential consequences are fully explained because of its potential to activate or alter HPV-16\p=n-\relatedsequences. (Arch Otolaryngol 1985;111:709-715) Verrucous carcinoma was original¬ ly recognized as a variant of squamous cell carcinoma involving the oral cavity and later the larynx.1 Clinically, the lesions present as graywhite, exophytic, warty growths that tend to grow slowly and are not asso¬ ciated with metastasis to regional cer¬ vical lymph nodes. The tumor most frequently originates on the true vocal cords. The incidence of verrucous car¬ cinoma of the larynx is 1% to 2% of all the malignant neoplasms affecting this organ, with the peak occurrence at ages 40 to 69 years and with a clear

Presence of Human Papillomavirus DNA in Benign and Precancerous Oral Leukoplakias and Squamous Cell Carcinomas

“…Recent reports revealed that HPV 11-and 16-DNA, frequently found in genital le sions, may occasionally occur in oral carci nomas too [3,8,10]. HPV 2-DNA, primari ly confined to skin lesions, could also be de tected in a carcinoma of the tongue and in oral verrucous carcinomas [3,4], In our cases a total of 56/373 analyzed benign and precancerous leukoplakias and invasive squamous cell carcinomas con tained HPV DNA.…”

“…Apart from the rarely isolated HPV types 1, 2, 13 and 32 [1,3,[4][5][6], the most frequently identified types 6, 11 and 16 [7][8][9][10] are regularly associated with genital tract papillomas. HPV 6 and 11 are most often found in exophytic genital warts and lower grade dysplasias of the uter ine cervix.…”

“…Recently the presence of HPV 11-and 16-DNA was de tected in invasive oral carcinomas and HPV 2-DNA in oral verrucous carcinomas and a carcinoma of the tongue [3,4,8,10]. Benign HPV growths are known to occur rather fre quently in the oral cavity of young adults [13,14].…”

Investigation of HPV Infection and P53 Expression in Laryngeal Verrucous Carcinoma

“…Viral induction may be a factor in the development of VC. 16,17 However, there are conflicting data in the literature on the identification of HPV DNA by ISH techniques. Some investigators either failed to identify HPV DNA in none of oral cavity VC, 18 or identified HPV DNA in a very limited number of cases.…”

The Use of General Primers in the Polymerase Chain Reaction Permits the Detection of a Broad Spectrum of Human Papillomavirus Genotypes

“…Moreover, a role for HPV in the development of carcinomas of the respiratory tract has been supported as well (L6ning et al, 1985;de Villiers et al, 1985;Kahn et al, 1986;Byrne et al, 1987). Because several of these carcinomas were found to contain HPV-related DNA (Abramson et al, 1985;Brandsma et al, 1986Brandsma et al, , 1989Stremlau et al, 1985), it has been speculated that presently unidentified HPV types could be specifically associated with carcinomas of the respiratory tract.…”