HUMAN-PAPILLOMAVIRUS AND ESOPHAGEAL SQUAMOUS-CELL CARCINOMA IN THE UK

Human papillomavirus (HPV) has previously been identified in up to 67% of squamous cell carcinomas of the oesophagus. In particular, HPV typ es of 16 and 18 are believed to play an important role in neoplastic t ransformation, by means of their oncoproteins E6 and E7. Most of these studies, however, pertain to areas of high incidence of squamous cell carcinoma of the oesophagus (the Far East and South Africa), It is no t known if HPV plays any role in the development of oesophageal squamo us cell carcinoma in the UK, where the tumour is relatively uncommon, The polymerase chain reaction was used to examine frozen tissue from 2 2 oesophageal squamous cell carcinomas for the presence of specific DN A sequences from oncogenic strains of HPV. PCR products were further a nalysed by Southern blot hybridization, No HPV sequences were detected in any tumours. These results suggest that these types of HPV are not associated with oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma in this country, It is unlikely, therefore, that I-IPV plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of squamous cell carcinoma of the oesophagus in the UK.