title: Relation of papillomaviruses to anogenital cancer.
abstract: A variety of HPV types infect the anogenital mucosa, giving rise to lesions that differ in clinical appearance, histology, and risk of malignant progression. Human papillomavirus type 16 is distinguished by a strong association with high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia and the greatest prevalence in anogenital malignancy. Most cancers appear to have a multifactorial cause, and HPV infection alone is probably insufficient for malignant transformation. The consistent association between HPV infection and anogenital cancers emphasizes that the papillomaviruses may have a necessary role in carcinogenesis, however. Hence, there is a prospect that vaccination programs may one day allow public health control of HPV infection, thereby eliminating an important risk factor.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Klinische und Molekulare Virologie, Medical School, Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pfister
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Fuchs
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001005:Anus Neoplasms / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003218:Condylomata Acuminata / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005834:Genital Neoplasms, Male / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D027383:Papillomaviridae; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D014611:Vaccination