Investigating the role of human papillomavirus in squamous cell carcinoma of the temporal bone.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the temporal bone is an uncommon tumour normally preceded by a history of inflammation within the external auditory canal or middle ear cavity. Although the human papillomavirus has been implicated in many head and neck malignancies, its role in the pathogenesis of carcinoma affecting the temporal bone has yet to be determined. Polymerase chain reaction was used to detect high risk human papillomavirus subtypes. RNA in situ hybridization, DNA sequence analysis, and p16 immunohistochemistry were employed to confirm positive samples. All specimens underwent separate investigations for the presence of latent and active Epstein-Barr virus infection or mutations within exons 5-9 of the TP53 gene. Genomic DNA was successfully extracted from 14/20 patient tissue samples, as determined by control PCR reactions. Three of these were shown to contain high risk HPV DNA (21.4%). HPV16 subtype was present in all positive cases. No significant difference in disease specific survival was detected for the papillomavirus positive group. One patient was found to have detectable Epstein-Barr virus on PCR, but this was not confirmed on subsequent analysis with immunohistochemistry or in situ hybridization. All TP53 mutations were restricted to the non-viral group. This is the first report to implicate high risk HPV16 in squamous cell carcinoma of the temporal bone by multiple analytic techniques. The study suggests the need for further investigation, and if confir...
Source: Head and Neck Oncology - Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research