title: Does HPV have a presence in diffuse high grade pre-malignant lesions of the larynx?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the incidence of HPV in diffuse high grade pre-cancerous lesions of the larynx.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patient charts were searched for those who presented between October 2008 and June 2009 with diffuse vocal fold leukoplakia. Biopsy proven laryngeal lesions with high grade dysplasia or carcinoma-in-situ (CIS) were examined for patient characteristics and presence of high-risk type HPV detected by in situ hybridization technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifteen patients with precancerous lesions were identified. Average age was 63 years and 13 were male. One lesion was identified as positive for high-risk HPV, all other lesions were negative. At current follow up, no patient has demonstrated progression to invasive carcinoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HPV may not play a role in non-progressing diffuse high-grade lesions of the larynx.
authors.affiliation: Head and Neck Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Heather H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Waters
authors.forename: Rahul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Seth
authors.forename: Aaron P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Hoschar
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Benninger
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007818:Laryngeal Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000821:virology*