Human Papillomavirus and Prostate Cancer: A Controversial Association

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted virus which infection can be asymptomatic or appear as mucosal lesions. HPV infection is estimated to contribute to approximately 5% of all cancers worldwide and is strongly associated with the development of most cervical cancers, as well as a substantial proportion of oropharyngeal, penile, and vulvar cancers. The viral HPV proteins E6 and E7 promote the development of tumour cells by disturbing the cellular signalling pathways involving the retinoblastoma protein (pRB) and cellular tumour antigen p53. Due to the established role of HPV in several anogenital cancers, a possible association between HPV infection and prostate cancer (PCa) risk has also been investigated. Recent studies and meta-analyses have reported an association between HPV infection and PCa in some populations. However, the available evidence remains inconsistent, and HPV infection cannot currently be considered an established risk factor for PCa. Further studies are needed to determine whether HPV infection plays a causal role in prostate carcinogenesis and whether HPV detection has clinical or prognostic utility in PCa.