[Detection of human papillomavirus DNA in hypopharyngeal carcinoma]

The detection of human papillomavirus type-16 and -6b was performed in 28 cases of hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas by polymerase chain reaction. Human papillomavirus (HPV) DNAs extracted from paraffin-embedded metastatic lymph node tissue were used for polymerase chain reaction with amplification of the E1 region of HPV genotype 6b and the E6 region of HPV genotype 16. HPV type 6b sequences were detected in three cases; positive amplification of type 16 sequences was also seen in three cases. These findings suggest that HPV infection might be closely associated with the development of some hypopharyngeal carcinomas as it is with laryngeal and uterine cervical carcinogenesis.