Purpose of investigation: Vulvar squamous cell carcinoma (VSCC) is a disease of significant clinical importance, which arises in the presence or absence of human papillomavirus (HPV).
Methods: We used comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) to document non-random chromosomal gains and losses with HPV positive and negative VSCCs.
Results: Gains of 3q and 12q were significantly more common in HPV-positive cancers compared to HPV-negative cancers where chromosome 8q was more commonly gained in HPV-negative compared to HPV-positive cancer chromosomes and, 4p and 3p were lost in both categories of VSCCs.
Conclusions: The data indicate that one or more oncogenes important in the development and progression of HPV-induced carcinomas are located on 3q and 12q.