Objectives: High-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) is known to be a representative cancer-causing agent in the genital and head and neck regions. Many studies have detected hrHPV DNA in nonsmall cell lung carcinoma. However, hrHPV-etiologic correlation in nonsmall cell lung carcinoma remains unclear. This study is designed to determine the prevalence of episomal or integrated hrHPV DNA in nonsmall cell lung carcinoma among the Korean population.
Methods: Surgically resected nonsmall cell lung carcinoma tissues, including 134 cases of squamous cell carcinoma (SqCC) and 99 cases of adenocarcinoma (ADC), were examined. In situ hybridization (ISH) for detecting episomal or integrated hrHPV DNA was performed using the INFORM HPV III Family 16 Probe (B) in the Ventana-validated assay. Anyplex II HPV28 detection kit based on real-time polymerase chain reaction was used for HPV DNA detection and genotyping.
Results: All members of the study population were of Korean ethnicity. Episomal or integrated hrHPV DNA ISH analysis result was negative in all 233 cases. One SqCC of 89 samples (42 SqCCs and 47 ADCs) was positive for an hrHPV genotype by Anyplex II HPV28 detection kit.
Conclusion: Our finding did not demonstrate hrHPV-etiologic correlation in primary lung SqCC and ADC in the Korean population.
Keywords: adenocarcinoma; human papillomavirus; in situ hybridization; lung; squamous cell carcinoma.