Role of mucosal high-risk human papillomavirus types in head and neck cancers in Romania

Background Limited information is available about the involvement of human papillomavirus (HPV) in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) in Romanian patients. Objective To evaluate the HPV-attributable fraction in HNSCCs collected in Northeastern Romania. Materials and methods In total, 189 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue samples (99 oral cavity tumors, 28 oropharynx, 48 pharynx, and 14 larynx/hypopharynx) were analyzed for HPV DNA and RNA using Luminex-based assays, and for overexpression of p16INK4a (p16) by immunohistochemistry. Results Of the 189 cases, 23 (12.2%) were HPV DNA-positive, comprising half of the oropharyngeal cases (14/28, 50.0%) and 9/161 (5.6%) of the non-oropharyngeal cases. HPV16 was the most prevalent HPV type (20/23, 86.9%), followed by HPV18 (5/23, 21.7%) and HPV39 (1/23, 4.3%). Only two (2/189, 1.1%) HNSCC cases were HPV-driven, i.e. positive for both HPV DNA and RNA. Conclusion A very small subset of HNSCC cases within this cohort from Northeastern Romania appeared to be HPV-driven.