title: Absence of human papillomavirus DNA in breast cancer as revealed by polymerase chain reaction.
abstract: Oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) types 16 and 18 commonly associated with cervical cancer are found in many epithelial malignancies at extra-genital sites including breast. The transforming gene products of HPV have also been shown to immortalize breast epithelial cells in vitro. But the findings of HPV DNA in breast carcinoma are found to be contradictory. In the present study fine needle aspirate cell (FNAC) samples from 26 breast cancer patients and four breast tumour biopsies were analysed for the presence of HPV 16 and 18 DNA sequences by both polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Southern blot hybridization. Of 26 fine needle aspirate cell samples and four breast cancer biopsies, not a single sample was found to be positive by either PCR or Southern blot hybridization. The observation of complete absence of HPV DNA sequences in breast cancer refute the possibility of any role for oncogenic genital HPV types 16 and 18 in the pathogenesis of breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Oncology, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gopalkrishna
authors.forename: U R
authors.initials: UR
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sodhani
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Hedau
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Mandal
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Das
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D015139:Blotting, Southern / Q000379:methods; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000821:virology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000379:methods; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral