title: Paucity of HPV-Related Head and Neck Cancers (HNC) in Nigeria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The burden of HPV-related Head and Neck Cancers (HNC) has been rising in the U.S. and other developed countries but this trend has not been reported in Africa. Objective of study was to evaluate the prevalence of HPV infection in HNC cancer cases seen between 1990 and 2011 at the tertiary health care institutions in Nigeria.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrieved 149 head and neck cancer formalin fixed, paraffin embedded tumor specimens diagnosed between 1990 and 2011 from four teaching hospitals in Nigeria. One hundred and twenty-three blocks (83%) contained appropriate HNC for analysis while DNA extraction was successful in 60% (90/149). PCR amplification was successful in 33% (49/149) and Linear Array genotyping for HPV was successful in 11% (17/149) of these cases. These were in tumors from the larynx (6), cervical lymph nodes (3), nasal cavity (2), parotid (1), palate (1), maxillary sinus (1) and mandible (1). Two cases were non-specific and none were from the oropharynx. Histologically, 41% (7/17) of the successfully genotyped blocks were squamous cell carcinomas (larynx 6, maxillary sinus 1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We were unable to detect HPV in any of the HNC samples in our study. Our result may suggest that there is a low prevalence of HPV-related HNC among the adult population in Nigeria. Our results provide a benchmark to compare future incidence of HPV -related HNC in this community in future. We had significant analytical challenges from possible poor tissue processing and urge that future studies should prospectively collect samples and ensure high quality sample processing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.|Office of Research, Training and Strategic Information, Institute of Human Virology Nigeria, Abuja, FCT, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Emmanuel A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Oga
authors.affiliation: Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Centre, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Schumaker
authors.affiliation: Department of Ear Nose and Throat, Head & Neck Surgery, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Biodun Sulyman
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Alabi
authors.affiliation: University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin, Edo State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Darlington
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Obaseki
authors.affiliation: University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Aniefon
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Umana
authors.affiliation: University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Ima-Abasi
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Bassey
authors.affiliation: University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Godwin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ebughe
authors.affiliation: University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Abuja, FCT, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Olabode
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Oluwole
authors.affiliation: Office of Research, Training and Strategic Information, Institute of Human Virology Nigeria, Abuja, FCT, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Teniola
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Akeredolu
authors.affiliation: Office of Research, Training and Strategic Information, Institute of Human Virology Nigeria, Abuja, FCT, Nigeria.|Department of Nutrition, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.|National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America.
authors.forename: Sally N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Adebamowo
authors.affiliation: Office of Research, Training and Strategic Information, Institute of Human Virology Nigeria, Abuja, FCT, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dakum
authors.affiliation: Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Centre, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cullen
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.|Office of Research, Training and Strategic Information, Institute of Human Virology Nigeria, Abuja, FCT, Nigeria.|Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Centre, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.|Department of Nutrition, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors.forename: Clement A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Adebamowo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D052685:Alphapapillomavirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D055815:Young Adult