title: Human papillomavirus infection as a risk factor for squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Oncogenic human papillomaviruses (HPVs), especially HPV type 16 (HPV-16), cause anogenital epithelial cancers and are suspected of causing epithelial cancers of the head and neck.
  
  
  METHODS
  To examine the relation between head and neck cancers and HPVs, we performed a nested case-control study within a joint Nordic cohort in which serum samples were collected from almost 900,000 subjects. Samples collected at enrollment from 292 persons in whom squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck developed, on average, 9.4 years after enrollment and from 1568 matched controls were analyzed for antibodies against HPV-16, HPV-18, HPV-33, and HPV-73 and for cotinine levels as a marker of smoking habits. Polymerase-chain-reaction (PCR) analyses for HPV DNA were performed in tumor tissue from 160 of the study patients with cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After adjustment for cotinine levels, the odds ratio for squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck in subjects who were seropositive for HPV-16 was 2.2 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.4 to 3.4). No increased risk was observed for other HPV types. Fifty percent of oropharyngeal and 14 percent of tongue cancers contained HPV-16 DNA, according to PCR analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HPV-16 infection may be a risk factor for squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
authors: Cancer Registry of Norway, Oslo. jon.mork@ioks.uio.no
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Mork
authors: A K
authors: AK
authors: Lie
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Glattre
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Hallmans
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Jellum
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Koskela
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Møller
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Pukkala
authors: J T
authors: JT
authors: Schiller
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Youngman
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Lehtinen
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Dillner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000821:virology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003367:Cotinine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D003367:Cotinine