Detection of Human Papillomavirus in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Lung by Semi-nested PCR

Lung cancer is the second common malignancy in human. Human papillomavirus (HPV) has a well established association with squamous cell carcinoma of anogenital region. This study was performed in Massih Daneshvari hospital, between 1999 and 2003 to evaluate association of human papillomavirus type 16 and 18 in squamous cell carcinoma of the lung among Iranian patients. Paraffin embedded block of pathology archive of Massih Daneshvari hospital with diagnosis of SCC were selected for determination of HPV DNA by semi-nested PCR. For each specimen, all hematoxyline-eosin stained slides were reviewed by two pathologists; if the initial slide was inappropriate, a new slide was prepared. All inadequate specimens were excluded from the study. 18 out of 45 paraffin- embedded specimens with diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma were selected. Six specimens were positive for HPV type 16, and 2 were positive for HPV type 18. None of the specimens was shown to have concurrent positivity of HPV types 16 and 18. The present study showed that high risk HPV was associated with squamous cell carcinoma of the lung and more prevalent type was HPV 16. We suggest further investigations to evaluate this relationship)