INCIDENCE OF HUMAN PAPILLOMA VIRUS IN PATIENTS OF ORAL SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA IN A SUBSET OF PAKISTANI POPULATION

Human Papilloma Virus in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Abstract

Objective: To determine the frequency of immunohistochemical expression of HPV-16 in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Furthermore, to characterize the histological subtypes of squamous cell carcinoma using immuno-histochemistry.
Study Design: Descriptive, cross-sectional study.
Place and Duration of Study: Department of Histopathology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Rawalpindi from Jan 2017 to Jan 2018.
Material and Methods: A total of thirty (n=30) specimen of oral squamous cell carcinoma detected on histopathology were enrolled in the study. Immunohistochemistry analysis was performed, and HPV was detected by applying p16, a surrogate marker of HPV, on formalin fixed and paraffin embedded sections. Mean and standard deviation were calculated for quantitative variable. Frequency and percentages were calculated for qualitative variables. Data was further stratified with respect to gender, age and tumor size. 
Results: Immunohistochemistry analysis revealed that there were 83.3% (n=25) samples which were positive for HPV-16. Mean tumor size was 1.9 cm ± 1.4 SD in the study sample (1.8 cm ± 1.1 SD in males and 2.3 cm ± 1.8 SD in females). Tumor size was <2cm in 73.3% (n=22) samples and >2cm in 26.7% (n=8) samples stratification with respect to gender (males and females), age (<60 years and >60 years) and tumor size (<2cm and >2cm) did not reveal any significant difference in HPV positivity.
Conclusion: A significant proportion of specimens of oral squamous cell carcinoma exhibited HPV-16 positivity in our population. No significant difference was noted across gender, age and tumor size.