High Risk Human Papillomavirus Prevalence in Patients with Hypopharynx Cancer of Northeast India: A Pilot Study

Oncogenic viruses such as, Human papillomavirus (HPV) associated head and neck cancers have been considered to represent different etiological and pathological behaviour. This pilot study was conceived to investigate high risk HPV (hr-HPV) infection and its association with life style habits such as tobacco, alcohol consumption in patients with hypopharynx cancer from North -East India. A total of thirty four primary hypopharynx cancer biopsy specimens were collected. These samples were analysed for hr-HPV DNA using nested multiplex PCR (NMPCR). The lifestyle and dietary associated factors were collected through a self- designed questionnaire. The presence of hr-HPV was confirmed in 50% (n = 17) patients with hypopharynx cancer by nested multiplex PCR (NMPCR). Among hr-HPV positive cases, only HPV- 16 genotype was found. Significant association was observed between hr-HPV infections with alcohol consumption (p-0.025), alcohol with tobacco habit (p-0.01). Our study demonstrated that alcohol consumption, tobacco chewing may act as risk factors for hr-HPV infection in a subset of patients with hypopharynx cancer from the North-East region of India.