HPV in squamous epithelial lesions of the head and neck: different affection of different tumors
Human papilloma virus (HPV) revealed to be the general cause of squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix uteri. The role of HPV infection in head and neck tumors remains controversial. We analyzed 39 cases of inverted papilloma, 17 cases of squamous cell carcinoma in the oropharynx, 8 cases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. As a negative control lymphoepithelial tissue of 10 patients was included. In inverted papilloma, 18 out of 37 (49 %) patients revealed positivity for HPV, in 6 cases in combination with HPV 6, in 12 cases in combination with other high-risk types (e. g. 18, 31); in two patients (5 %) HPV was the single detected subtype. In invasive squamous cell carcinoma 4 out of 17 patients (24 %) showed a positive reaction and a subtyping for high-risk HPV (16, 18). In nasopharyngeal carcinoma, of 8 patients 7 were positively tested for the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and 1 patient for HPV 16. In the control group no EBV could be detected; in one case HPV 11 was found. HPV is present in head and neck tumors and a routine detection could help in identifying patients with better outcome. If the HPV vaccination could have a positive effect on these tumors is matter of discussion these times.