title: Oral HPV infection and persistence in patients with head and neck cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the presence and persistence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in the oral mucosa of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), and its correlation with prognosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  HPV infection was characterized in tumors and pre and posttreatment oral scrapings in 51 patients with HNSCC and matched controls using the SPF10 LiPA Extra assay. p16INK4A immunostain and in situ hybridization for high-risk HPV genotypes recognized transcriptionally active infection in tumor samples. The risk of infection was compared in patients and controls. The association of pretreatment HPV status with recurrence and survival and with posttreatment HPV persistence was assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Oral HPV infection risk was significantly higher in patients with HNSCC than in controls (P < .001). Oral HPV infection was associated with infection in the first posttreatment scrapings (P = .015), but did not affect recurrence or prognosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Oral HPV infection is frequent in patients with HNSCC and has no prognostic implications, suggesting that posttreatment polymerase chain reaction monitoring on oral cells is not effective to monitor patient recurrence risk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, Unit of Pathology, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy; Department of Pathology IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo Foundation, Pavia, Italy. Electronic address: patrizia.morbini@unipv.it.
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Morbini
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dal Bello
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alberizzi
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mannarini
authors.forename: Niccolò
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mevio
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Garotta
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mura
authors.forename: Carmine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tinelli
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bertino
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Benazzo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 / Q000032:analysis*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012008:Recurrence; D012306:Risk
chemical_list: D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16; D004279:DNA, Viral