HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS TYPE-18 DNA AND E6-E7 MESSENGER-RNA ARE DETECTEDIN SQUAMOUS-CELL CARCINOMA AND ADENOCARCINOMA OF THE LUNG

To provide an accurate evaluation of the association of human papillom avirus (HPV) with lung cancer, 36 cases of lung cancer were analysed f or HPV DNAs by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with dot-blot and South ern blot analyses, and for the transcripts from the E6-E7 transforming region by in situ hybridisation (ISH). HPV-18 DNA was detected in thr ee (8%) of 36 specimens; histologically, in one (10%) of 10 squamous c ell carcinomas and two (9%) of 22 adenocarcinomas. Neither HPV-16 nor -33 DNA was detected in any cases examined. Expression of E6-E7 mRNA w as confirmed in the cases which contained HPV-18 DNA. HPV-18 may play an important role in the development and progression of cancer in some cases of both squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the lung.