HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS TYPE-16 DNA IN ESOPHAGEAL SQUAMOUS-CELL CARCINOMA

Recent studies, mainly from high risk areas of oesophageal cancer (OC) , have suggested a possible role of oesophageal infection with human p apillomavirus (HPV;) in the carcinogenesis of OC. Twenty-two cases of OC (among them 20 cases of squamous cell, 1 case of verrucous and 1 ca se of adenoid cystic carcinoma) originating from a middle risk area of OC, were analysed by in situ hybridization (ISH) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to demonstrate HPV infection. No evidence of HPV DNA w as found using ISH. By PCR, the presence of HPV DNA was detected in 1/ 3 (33%) of early and 1/17 (5,7%) of advanced squamous cell carcinoma c ases. After digestion of PCR products using seven restriction endonucl eases, the restriction enzyme digestion patterns were found to be uniq ue for HPV type 16 in both positive cases of OC. All other squamous ce ll carcinomas, the case of verrucous carcinoma and that of adenoid cys tic carcinoma were successfully amplified only with internal control h uman beta-globin primers. Our results are comparable with those from h igh risk areas of OC and support the HPV may be involved in the carcin ogenesis of this malignancy.