Abstract

HPV infection has been implicated strongly in the pathogenesis of human squamous cell carcinoma(SCC). We analysed a series of 28 surgically removed, invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus by polymerase chain reaction to detect HPV DNA using consensus primers and 8 type-specific primers of HPV (6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 51). HPV 6, 31, 35 or 51 DNA were detected in 20 out of 28 cases (71.4%) of the esophageal SCCs. HPV 51 was the most frequently detected type, occuring in 13 out of 28 cases (46.4%). p53 immunohistochemical staining was also performed to demonstrate any relationship to HPV DNA positivity. It showed positivity in 16 out of 28(57.1%) esophageal SCCs, and HPV DNA and p53 positivity were concurrently detected in 11 out of 28 cases of SCCs. There was no significant inverse relation between HPV DNA positivity and p53 expression(p>0.05). Our results supported HPV involvement in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, and suggested there may be another pathway not related to the p53-binding pathway in the carcinogenesis of esophageal SCCs by HPV.

• Keywords: HPV DNA;p53 oncoprotein;Esophagus;Squamous cell carcinoma;PCR