Presence of Human Papillomavirus in Squamous Cell Laryngeal Carcinomas. A study of Thirty-nine Cases Using Polymerase Chain Reaction and in situ Hybridization

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Abstract
Human papillomavirus (HPV) has a well-established association with benign and malignant cervical tumours as well as with laryngeal papillomas, while its association with laryngeal carcinomas is still controversial. We have examined 39 squamous cell carcinomas of the larynx for HPV using PCR with three consensus primers (Cp, My 09/11 and Gp 5+/6+). Specimens positive for consensus primers were examined with specific PCR primers for HPV 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33 and 35 and with in situ hybridization (ISH). Three samples (8%) were found HPV positive for two or three consensus primers. One case was confirmed to be HPV 16 with both PCR and ISH. The findings of both a punctate and diffuse signal with the use of ISH indicated HPV to be in both integrated and episomal form. For the other two HPV positive specimens, the examination indicated a type related to HPV 6/11, but it could not be determined with certainty. This study strongly indicates that HPV 16 is associated with some squamous cell laryngeal carcinomas. The possibility of association with other HPV types or mutants of these needs further investigation.

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