title: Human papillomavirus in head and neck tumors: epidemiological, molecular and clinical aspects.
abstract: High-risk types of human papillomaviruses (HR HPV) play an important role in the etiology of a group of head and neck squamous cell cancers (HNSCC). This review is focused on epidemiological, molecular, and clinical aspects of HPV infection in head and neck cancer. High risk HPV DNA is being detected in a very different proportion of HNSCC with the highest prevalence in oropharynx. Patients with HPV-associated tumors are characterized by moderate tobacco and alcohol consumption. Some aspects of sexual behavior may represent a risk factor. Recently, it has been shown that HPV infection is spreading and the rising prevalence of HPV-positive tumors can probably be attributed to this epidemic. On molecular level the viral oncoproteins E6 and E7 were shown to be involved in oncogenesis. HPV-positive cancers have better prognosis and HPV status should be considered in clinical decision-making. The rising proportion of HPV-positive tumors underlines the importance of HPV vaccination also for the prevention of HNSCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, First Medical Faculty, Charles University Prague, Prague, Czech Republic. jan.klozar@lfmotol.cuni.cz.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Klozar
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Virology, Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tachezy
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, First Medical Faculty, Charles University Prague, Prague, Czech Republic.|Department of Experimental Virology, Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Eliška
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rotnáglová
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, First Medical Faculty, Charles University Prague, Prague, Czech Republic.|Department of Experimental Virology, Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Košlabová
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Virology, Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saláková
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Virology, Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hamšíková
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015344:DNA Probes, HPV; D016679:Genome, Viral; D052163:Human papillomavirus 6 / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D010039:Otorhinolaryngologic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D050725:Papillomavirus E7 Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D015344:DNA Probes, HPV; D050725:Papillomavirus E7 Proteins