Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 21, 2025

RNAscope for In situ Detection of Transcriptionally Active Human Papillomavirus in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Published on: March 11, 2014
Relationship between cervical esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and human papilloma virus infection and gene
Masaru Fukahori1,2,3, Ken Kato1, Hirokazu Taniguchi4
1Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan.
Abstract:
Cervical esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (CESCC) is rare, accounting for 5% of all esophageal carcinomas. Several diagnostic and predictive markers have been studied. However, to the best of our knowledge, no biomarker is known to determine patient management except the clinical stage. The present study aimed to evaluate whether human papilloma virus (HPV) infection, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and its pathway-related gene mutations, known to be sensitive biomarkers of oropharyngeal carcinomas, could be used as biomarkers for the prediction of the prognosis of patients with CESCC. The present retrospective study included patients with CESCC who received chemoradiotherapy or surgery. HPV infection and the genomic status of EGFR, KRAS, BRAF, NRAS and PIK3CA of each tumor sample from patients with CESCC were analyzed by in situ hybridizations (ISH) and PCR methods, respectively. The present study included 33 patients with CESCC (male/female, 29/4; median age, 62 years; age range, 41-86 years; clinical stage I/II/III/IV, 2/6/10/15). The present study detected HPV in one patient (3.0%) by ISH and PCR. Concerning the investigation of EGFR and its pathway-related gene mutations, the present study detected 15.1% of EGFR, 6.0% of NRAS, 3.5% of BRAF, 3.0% of KRAS and 3.0% for PIK3CA mutations, with no significant relationship between any gene mutations and the clinical prognostic factors. The HPV-infected patient did not exhibit any gene mutations. The present study indicated that HPV infection, EGFR and its pathway-related gene mutations rarely exist in patients with CESCC. The relationship between these biomarkers and the prognosis in patients with CESCC is still unclear.
Related Concept Videos
Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV) and Cancer
RSV is a retrovirus that contains two copies of a plus-strand RNA genome. Its genome consists of four main open...
Mechanisms of Retrovirus-induced Cancers
Cancer Prevention
Some...
Cancers Originate from Somatic Mutations in a Single Cell
Viral Mutations
Mutagenicity and Carcinogenicity

