Absence of high-risk human papilloma virus in p16 positive inverted sinonasal papilloma
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Updated: Jan 3, 2026
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Published on: March 11, 2014
A Holm1, A Allard2, I Eriksson2
1Department of Clinical Sciences, Division of Otorhinolaryngology, Umeå University, 90185 Umeå, Sweden.
Objectives:
Sinonasal inverted papilloma (SIP) is a relatively rare disease, and its etiology is not understood. It is characterized by locally aggressive growth and a strong tendency to recur despite its benign histology.
Aims:
The aim of this study was to identify the presence of human papilloma virus (HPV) and its surrogate marker p16 in SIP tissue samples from a regional cohort.
Material And Methods:
Subjects were identified from our regional center cohort of 88 SIP patients treated between 1984-2014. From these subjects, 54 were included in this study. Of these, 53 biopsies were analyzed with PCR, and 54 samples were immunohistochemically stained for p16. DNA was extracted from histopathologically verified SIP. Genotype screening for 13 high risk-, 5 oncogenic and 6 low risk HPV types was performed using the PapilloCheck® HPV-screening test.
Results:
HPV analysis was successful for 38 of 53 samples. Of the 38 successfully analyzed samples, only 2 samples were positive for HPV 11. Notably, p16 was present in the epithelia in all samples, and in the papilloma lesions in 37 samples.
Conclusion:
Since only 2 out of 38 SIPs were positive for HPV (type 11), and at the same time p16 was positive in epithelia in all samples and in 37 of 38 papilloma lesions of the samples, it is concluded that p16 cannot be used as a surrogate marker for high-risk HPV-infection in SIP. We are currently planning a prospective, multicenter study in order to increase the study power and in order to be able to better evaluate the clinical implications of HPV-and p16 in SIP.
