Prevalence of High-Risk Human Papilloma Virus (HR-HPV) as a risk factor in HNSCC patients of Saurashtra region of Gujarat

Abstract

Background: In India HNSCC comprises the largest group of malignancies with an incidence rate as high as 30-40%.The present study was carried out to determine the prevalence of high-risk human papilloma virus (HR-HPV) as a risk factor in HNSCC patients of Saurashtra region of Gujarat. Method: Newly diagnosed 200 HNSCC patients were selected for the study. Sociodemographic and clinical data were obtained through questionnaire. Detection of HPV-DNA was done from cancer tissues by PCR amplification method using GP5+/GP6+ primers, E6 and E7 primers for HPV 16 and HPV 18 genotypes. Result: The prevalence of HPV high-risk (HR) types was 2% in HNSCC cancer cases. HPV 16 genotype was identified while HPV 18 was absent in all the patients. The risk factor of HPV-HR included younger age (<55 years) and early age at first sexual intercourse. The other risk factors like tobacco and alcohol were absent in these patients. The site of cancer was found to be base of tongue and tonsil. Conclusion: The specific characteristics found in HPV positive HNSCC cases are in accord with distinctive characteristics of HPV positive HNSCC found worldwide. We can conclude that HR-HPV infection may be responsible for HPV-positive HNSCC. However, the prevalence of HPV among HNSCC is negligible which indicates that HPV is not an influential risk factor for oral cancer in this region.