Human papilloma virus and Epstein-Barr virus in oral tumours and epithelial lesions

LP Sand, DDS, PhD

AIM: Evaluate the risk of HPV and EBV infection in conjunction with tobacco and alcohol exposure in the development of oral tumours and epithelial lesions. MATERIAL & METHODS HPV and EBV prevalence was investigated with PCR, Southern blot hybridisation and immunohistochemical analysis. The study population consisted of consecutive patients with OSCC, OLP, oral leukoplakia and intraosseous ameloblastomas. Also patients with snuff-induced lesions were studied. RESULTS: Increased HPV prevalence (20.8%) was seen in 53 consecutive patients with OSCC, OLP, and oral leukoplakia, but no effect of tobacco and alcohol consumption was seen. 41% of the ameloblastomas were HPV positive at initial surgery, but this figure increased to 67% after surgical manipulation. 16.3% of the snuff-induced lesions were EBV positive but this was not statistically significant compared to the control patients (4.5%). Increased EBV prevalence was seen in OSCC (37.9%) and in OLP (26.1%) compared to controls. No difference in EBV prevalence was seen in control patients with a smoking history compared to control patients with a non-smoking history. Neither tobacco use, alcohol consumption nor age influenced EBV prevalence. CONCLUSIONS: Consumption of snuff and alcohol as well as smoking do not seem to facilitate HPV or EBV infection, either in tumours, epithelial lesions or in healthy oral mucosa. EBV is present in a substantial amount of OSCC and OLP and may be involved in the etiology in these lesions. HPV infects oral epithelial lesions and tumours, but the infection is probably a late event in the course of these diseases.

KEY WORDS: Oral squamous cell carcinoma, oral lichen planus, snuff-induced lesion, ameloblastoma.

For more information, contact lars.sand@telia.com

Paper presented at the International Symposium on Predictive Oncology and Intervention Strategies; Paris, France; February 9 - 12, 2002; in the section on Viral Oncogenesis.

http://www.cancerprev.org/Journal/Issues/26/101/996/4346