title: Human papillomavirus DNA types in squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck.
abstract: Previous studies have found variable evidence suggestive of a role for human papillomavirus (HPV) in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. In this study 49 cases of primary verrucous or squamous cell carcinoma from patients referred to a regional medical center were examined initially by Southern blot hybridization to detect HPV types 2, 6, 11, 13, 16, 18, and 32. Approximately 60% of carcinomas from certain head and neck sites, particularly the floor of the mouth, tongue, pharynx, piriform sinus, and larynx, were positive for episomal viral DNA of HPV-6, -11, -16, or -18. HPV DNA was found in some multiple tumors from separate sites of the same patient. Integration of viral DNA into the host cell chromosome was likely in a minority of the positive carcinomas, and no novel HPV DNA types were indicated by the hybridization analyses. Subsequently, DNA remaining from 30 of the carcinomas was examined by a more sensitive polymerase chain reaction amplification assay for DNA of HPV-6, -11, -16, and -18. Twenty-seven of the samples were positive for one or more HPV DNA types, with all positive carcinoma samples containing oncogenic HPV-16 or -18 DNAs. Almost all the patients examined were of the middle to older age group with a history of tobacco use. Although HPV infection of oral mucosa may be a frequent occurrence, a possible role for HPVs in the multifactorial etiology of head and neck carcinogenesis merits further epidemiologic investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Watts
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Brewer
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Fry
mesh_terms: D015139:Blotting, Southern; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology*; D015344:DNA Probes, HPV; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D010212:Papilloma / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D015344:DNA Probes, HPV; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D004279:DNA, Viral