title: Human papillomavirus in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas in nonsmokers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish relationships between smoking status and human papillomavirus in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human papillomavirus was detected in paraffin-embedded samples using E6-directed consensus primers and type-specific oligonucleotide probes. Patients were classified as smokers and nonsmokers. Alcohol use was also recorded. Data were analyzed by means of the Fisher exact test. Sequence analysis of exons 5 to 8 of the p53 gene was performed in tumor samples from nonsmokers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Academic medical center in Paris, France.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred eighty-seven consecutive patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall prevalence of human papillomaviral infection was 10.7%. Human papillomavirus occurred more frequently (P = .02) in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (18.6%) than in other locations (6.1%). There were 10 nonsmokers (5%). The 50% incidence of human papillomavirus in nonsmokers (95% confidence interval, 19%-81%) differed significantly from the 8.5% incidence in smokers (95% confidence interval, 5%-14%; P = .003). No occupational risk factor was recorded in nonsmokers. None of these patients had p53 gene mutations in cancer cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that human papillomavirus may play a role in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas in nonsmokers.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Central d'Anatomie Pathologique, Hôpital Tenon, Paris, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fouret
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Monceaux
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Temam
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lacourreye
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: St Guily
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D010297:Paris / Q000453:epidemiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000379:methods; D012907:Smoking / Q000235:genetics; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral