Head And Neck Cancer Patients With Chronic Inflammation More Likely To Be HPV Positive

Head And Neck Cancer Patients With Chronic Inflammation More Likely To Be HPV Positive

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Main Category: Cancer / Oncology
Also Included In: Neurology / Neuroscience;  Cervical Cancer / HPV Vaccine
Article Date: 22 Jun 2012 - 12:00 PDT

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Researchers have discovered in a study published Online First in JAMA's Archives of Otolaryngology - Head Neck Surgery that patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinomas, who have a history of chronic inflammation, such as periodontitis (gum disease) could be linked to having a higher risk of testing positive for human papillomavirus tumors (HPV).

Since 1973, the National Cancer Institute observed a steady increase in oropharyngeal cancers in the US despite the fact that tobacco use has substantially declined since 1965. Scientists have observed similar trends all over the world, and the researchers point out that the rise is mainly due to oral HPV infections.

Mine Tezal, D.D.S., Ph.D., from Buffalo University and team examined data from 124 patients with primary head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral cavity (31n - 25%), oropharynx (49n - 39.5%), and larynx (44n - 35.5%) between 1999 and 2007 who had available tissue samples and dental records.

Overall, the team identified 50 patients or 40.3%, whose tumor samples tested positive for HPV-16 DNA. They discovered that the incidence rate of HPv-positive tumors was 65.3% higher in oropharyngeal cancers compared with 29% cancers of the oral cavity cancer and with 20.5% of laryngeal cancers.

The team evaluated the patients' history of periodontitis by checking their dental records for alveolar bone loss (ABL) in millimeters and discovered that those with HPV-positive tumors had a substantially higher ABL than those with HPV-negative tumors. After adjusting for all factors, the team discovered that each millimeter of ABL was linked to a 2.6 times higher chance of HPV-positive tumor status. They furthermore found that this link was stronger in those with oropharyngeal SCC than in patients with oral cavity and laryngeal SCCs.

The researchers conclude:

"Periodontitis is easy to detect and may represent a clinical high-risk profile for oral HPV infection. Prevention or treatment of sources of inflammation in the oral cavity may be a simple yet effective way to reduce the acquisition and persistence of oral HPV infection."

Written By Petra Rattue
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

• Additional
• References
• Citations

"Local Inflammation and Human Papillomavirus Status of Head and Neck Cancers"
Mine Tezal, DDS, PhD; Frank A. Scannapieco, DMD, PhD; Jean Wactawski-Wende, PhD; Andrew Hyland, PhD; James R. Marshall, PhD; Nestor R. Rigual, MD; Daniel L. Stoler, PhD
Archives of Otolaryngology, June 2012, doi:10.1001/archoto.2012.873 Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

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MediLexicon International Ltd
Bexhill-on-Sea, United Kingdom
MediLexicon International Ltd © 2004-2012 All rights reserved.
MNT (logo) is the registered EU trade mark of MediLexicon Int. Limited.