Molecular and virological studies on a rare case of biliary papillomatosis

In a recurrence of a rare case of biliary papillomatosis, a disease that often becomes malignant, the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV), Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), as well as DNA ploidy and markers of proliferation and invasion, were examined. No such viruses were identified by polymerase chain reactions. Moreover, markers of invasion, such as laminin, and of proliferation, MIB1 and cyclin A, were absent or at normal levels despite progressive superficial growth of the tumour. The tumour was aneuploid, but the p53-p21 tumour growth suppressor system was not mutated. It was concluded that the presented case of tumour relapse, despite an anamnesis of seven years and its expanding but non-invasive growth, did not contain the viruses that were examined for, and had not become malignant.