Viral markers in tumour samples from 53 Italian cases of epithelial upper airways cancers

The web of causation of the upper airways cancers (UAC) is complex and, at present, only partially defined; certainly, a wide range of airborne viruses and chemicals is therein (with varying degrees of evidence) involved. Within the perspective of subsequent formal studies about this topic, a small case-series pilot has been performed, searching Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV), Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) 18 and 16 markers in a set of tumour samples from 53 patients diagnosed with different types of primary epithelial UAC. Overall, the prevalence of positive tests for EBV, HCMV, and HPV18 was 24.5%, 5.5% and 5.5%, respectively. EBV tested positive in 10 nasopharyngeal carcinomas (including 1 adenocarcinoma), 2 nasal carcinomas (including 1 adenocarcinoma), and 2 sinus carcinomas (both adenocarcinomas); HCMV tested positive in 3 nasal carcinomas (including 2 adenocarcinomas); HPV18 tested positive in 1 nasal adeno carcinoma and 2 sinus adenocarcinomas. Future studies are warranted to shed light on the complex aetiology of UAC, by integrating the best pathological evidence and systematic acquisition of standardized anamnestic data, meanwhile taking in consideration both the viral presence in the cancer tissues and the patients' self-referred exposures to particles and vapours.