Human papillomavirus in retinoblastoma: A tertiary eye care center study from South India

Indian J Ophthalmol. 2021 Aug;69(8):2111-2115. doi: 10.4103/ijo.IJO_106_21.

Abstract

Purpose: This study is aimed to investigate the presence of Human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA in tumors obtained from sporadic retinoblastoma patients.

Methods: One hundred six tumor tissues obtained from sporadic RB patients were analyzed for HPV infection by use of both seminested PCR and real-time quantitative PCR.

Results: Of 106 RB patients, 55 were male and 51 were female. The mean age at diagnosis was 26.77 ± 15.36 (mean ± Std. dev) months. Almost all patients presented with leukocoria. Molecular investigation by different methods revealed no HPV positivity in any tumor genome.

Conclusion: Our study demonstrates no association between HPV and RB, postulating HPV may not be a major risk factor in the etiology of RB.

Keywords: Human papillomavirus; RB1 inactivation; nonfamilial retinoblastoma; pediatric cancer; real-time quantitative PCR.

MeSH terms

  • Alphapapillomavirus*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • India / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Papillomaviridae / genetics
  • Papillomavirus Infections* / diagnosis
  • Papillomavirus Infections* / epidemiology
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Retinal Neoplasms* / diagnosis
  • Retinal Neoplasms* / epidemiology
  • Retinoblastoma* / diagnosis
  • Retinoblastoma* / epidemiology