HPV-16 AND 18 PREVALENCE IN PATIENTS WITH HEAD AND NECK SCC AND ORAL LEUKOPLAKIA AND ITS CORRELATION WITH CLINICOPATHOLOGIC CHARACTERISTICS AND PROGNOSTIC FACTORS

Abstract

Human papillomavirus (HPV) has a role in oncogenesis of oropharynx squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) however; highly variable of HPV detection in head and neck SCC and potentially malignant lesions suggest that is necessary to perform studies aiming to elucidate the involvement of HPV in this process. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate the presence of HPV-16 and 18, representing the oncogenic genotypes of relevance, in different biological materials of patients with head and neck SCC and oral leukoplakia, and the correlation of this factor with clinicopathologic characteristics and prognostic factors. Forty patients with head and neck SCC will compose the group one, forty patients with oral leukoplakia will compose group two, while group three will be composed by forty healthy patients requiring oral surgery and will be matched by gender and age with groups one and two (case control study). Tissue and saliva samples are obtained from the groups. Detection of HPV-DNA 16 and18 will be performed by the Real Time PCR technique, and the tissue is also analyzed for the expression of p16INK4a by immunohistochemistry. Statistical tests will be used to analyze the relationship between the presence of HPV-16 and 18 between groups and to examine the relationship between this factor and the clinicopathologic characteristics and prognostic factors. (AU)