title: Characterization of squamous cell cancers of the vulvar anterior fourchette by human papillomavirus, p16INK4a, and p53.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The incidence of vulvar squamous cell carcinomas located between the clitoris and urethra in young women is rising in distinct geographic regions, but characteristics of the tumors indicating certain carcinogenic mechanisms are unknown. The present study aimed at characterizing these vulvar cancers for their human papillomavirus (HPV), p16(INK4a), and p53 status, revealing potential pathways of carcinogenesis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Squamous cell vulvar cancers of the anterior fourchette were retrospectively collected from 8 German hospitals, with additional squamous cell cancers located at other sites of the vulva from 2 of the hospitals. All tumors were analyzed for HPV DNA by polymerase chain reaction and for p16(INK4a) and p53 expression by immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Potentially HPV-associated tumors (HPV and p16(INK4a) positive, 21.4% [27/126] of the anterior fourchette and 27.7% [13/47] from other locations), p53-overexpressing tumors (35.7% [45/126] and 29.8% [14/47]), and a third group (HPV/p16(INK4a) negative/p53 not overexpressed, 42.9% [54/126] and 42.6% [20/47]) were observed among tumors from the anterior fourchette as well as among vulvar cancers from other locations. Women with vulvar cancers of the anterior fourchette were of young age irrespective of the HPV/p16(INK4a)/p53 status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Different types of vulvar cancers can be found in squamous cell tumors of the anterior fourchette, similar to the finding in vulvar cancers from other locations and to what has previously been reported for vulvar squamous cell carcinomas in general.
authors: Department of Applied Tumor Biology, Institute of Pathology, Ruprecht Karls University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors: Miriam
authors: M
authors: Reuschenbach
authors: Judith
authors: J
authors: Roos
authors: Dimitrios
authors: D
authors: Panayotopoulos
authors: Stephan E
authors: SE
authors: Baldus
authors: Hans-Georg
authors: HG
authors: Schnürch
authors: Annemarie
authors: A
authors: Berger
authors: Karl Ulrich
authors: KU
authors: Petry
authors: Matthias
authors: M
authors: Dürst
authors: Mirjam
authors: M
authors: Seiz
authors: Magnus
authors: M
authors: von Knebel Doeberitz
authors: Monika
authors: M
authors: Hampl
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D018307:Neoplasms, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology*; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014846:Vulvar Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53