title: Presence of HPV in head and neck tumours: high prevalence in tonsillar localization.
abstract: Human papillomavirus (HPV) seems to be involved in head and neck carcinogenesis. To investigate this association, viral presence and expression were analysed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods and correlated to tumour localization, clinical-pathological aspects, and alcohol and tobacco exposure in 65 patients. HPV DNA was found in 16 cases (24.6%); the HPV types detected were: HPV16 (10 cases), HPV 6 (3 cases) HPV 33, 35, and 58 (one case each). The tonsil was the location with the highest HPV positivity (6/8, 75%). This percentage was significantly higher than that found in tumours from any other site (P<0.01). Viral transcripts of early regions were detected in all HPV16 positive tumours. HPV status was not related to age, gender, tumour stage or grade, and use of alcohol and/or tobacco. The results suggest that HPV16 is actively involved in the genesis of a subset of head and neck cancers and that the tonsillar localization may be considered a hot spot for viral transformation.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology, Regina Elena Cancer Institute, San Carlo, IDI IRCCS, Rome, Italy. venuti@ifo.it
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Venuti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Badaracco
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rizzo
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mafera
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rahimi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vigili
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000821:virology*; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000821:virology*; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000378:metabolism*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000378:metabolism; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011379:Prognosis; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014067:Tonsillar Neoplasms / Q000821:virology*; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA