Evaluation of HPV, CMV, HSV and EBV in esophageal squamous cell carcinomasfrom a high-incidence area of China

Background: Certain viruses, notably human papillomavirus (HPV), cytomegalo virus (CMV), herpes simplex virus (HSV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), are k nown to produce tumors in animals and cell transformation in vitro and they have been implicated in the pathogenesis of human cancers. All these virus es are also known to infect the esophagus. This study was aimed to determin e whether these viruses play any causal role in the etiology of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Materials and Methods: A series of 103 esophageal squamous cell carcinomas derived from patients in the high-incidence area o f northern China were analyzed by DNA in situ hybridization and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) far the presence of HPV DNA sequences and using immuno histochemistry, far the demonstration of CMV, HSV and EBV infections. Resul ts: Six (5.8%) of the 103 tumors were found to contain HPV 16, 18 or 30 DNA sequences. HPV types 6, 11 and 53 were not detected in any of the cases. A mplified HPV DNA sequences were found in 17 out of 101 (16.8%) carcinoma sp ecimens by PCR with L1 consensus primers. None of the 103 carcinomas tested was immunohistochemically positive for CMV; HSV or EBV. Conclusion: Our re sults confirmed the HPV involvement in esophageal carcinomas and provided f urther evidence to support a causal association of HPV infection with esoph ageal squamous cell carcinoma. However, the three herpesviruses, CMV; HSV a nd EBV, are highly unlikely to be involved in the pathogenesis of this mali gnancy in the high-incidence area of China.