HPV status in head and neck tumors

HPV infection has been associated with head and neck carcinoma (HNSCC). In the present study, a tumor collective from Middle Germany was analyzed using two HPV-detection methods, i.e., PCR followed by agarose gel electrophoresis and microarray chip hybridization. In addition, the predictive value of tumor morphology was assessed. In total, 76 HNSCCs from 52 patients were examined, including 23 pairs of primaries and corresponding metastases. The highest rate of positive tumors was observed in the tonsils, with 76% of the patients and 81% of tumor samples being positive for high-risk HPV. DNA chip analysis detected significantly more HPV-positive cases than did agarose gel electrophoresis. Except for one HPV-33-positive case, all others tumors harbored HPV 16. There was a good concordance between the HPV status of the primary tumor and its corresponding metastasis (21/23 cases, 91%). In two cases, HPV was found only in the primary tumor but not in the metastasis. Our results clearly confirmed the high prevalence of HR-HPV in tonsillar carcinomas with a rate that was even 20% higher than those reported in the literature. Morphology is a valuable indicator for an HPV association that needs to be confirmed by molecular tests.