Prevalence of human papillomavirus in breast cancer: a systematic review.
OBJECTIVE
We performed a systematic review and meta-analyses to estimate the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) in breast carcinoma and to explore the reasons for the ongoing controversies about this issue.


METHODS
A comprehensive search of the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, CANCERLIT, LILACS, and EMBASE databases was performed for papers published from January 1990 to January 2011. The medical subject heading terms were searched for the following: breast neoplasm, breast lesions, breast cancer, and HPV or human papillomavirus. Statistical analysis was performed using REVMAN 5.0.


RESULTS
Twenty-nine primary studies, including 2211 samples, were analyzed. Overall, HPV prevalence in patients with breast cancer was 23.0% (95% CI, 21.2%-24.8%). The prevalence of HPV ranged from 13.4% (95% CI, 10.2%-16%) in Europe to 42.9% (95% CI, 36.4%-49.4%) in North America and Australia. The prevalence of HPV in controls was 12.9%. Combinations of 9 case-control studies showed that breast cancer was associated with HPV (odds ratio, 5.9; 95% CI, 3.26-10.67).


CONCLUSIONS
We found a high prevalence of HPV DNA in breast cancer. There is strong evidence to suggest that HPV has an important role in the development of breast cancer.
Laboratory of Epidemiology and National Institute for Translational Medicine Health Sciences Unit, University of Extremo Sul Catarinense (UNESC), Criciúma, Santa Catarina.
Priscyla Waleska
PW
Simões
Lidia Rosi
LR
Medeiros
Patrícia Duarte
PD
Simões Pires
Maria Isabel
MI
Edelweiss
Daniela Dornelles
DD
Rosa
Fábio Rosa
FR
Silva
Bruno Rosa
BR
Silva
Maria Inês
MI
Rosa
D000465:Algorithms; D052685:Alphapapillomavirus / Q000502:physiology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy / Q000821:virology; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015995:Prevalence
D019496:Cancer Vaccines; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines