Prevalence of human papillomavirus in oral squamous cell carcinoma: A rural teaching hospital-based cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a well-established oncogenic agent in the pathogenesis of cervical carcinoma. Its role in the oncogenesis of tumors such as oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is not clear. Globally, approximately 3% of OSCCs are positive for HPV. Studies conducted in India indicate its prevalence from as low as 0% to as high as 74%. However, a recent Indian study on leukoplakia failed to find any evidence of HPV involvement. This motivated us to reexamine the HPV status in OSCC. AIM: To evaluate the prevalence of HPV in OSCC. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: This was a rural teaching hospital-based cross-sectional study. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Sixty histopathologically confirmed samples of OSCC were used for the study. Genomic DNA was isolated from frozen, surgically-resected specimens. HPV positivity was tested by polymerase chain reaction-based method using GP5+/6+ primers in the L1 consensus region of the viral genome. RESULTS: None of the samples were HPV positive. CONCLUSIONS: Results of this study indicate that the association between HPV and OSCC may be overestimated. Hence, multicentric studies covering diverse geographical and socioeconomic groups are needed to delineate the profile of HPV infectivity and OSCC in the Indian subcontinent.