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Background: Head and neck cancers (HNC) constitute the sixth common type of malignancies worldwide and can affect a wide range of anatomical regions. The role of the herpes simplex virus (HSV) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has been previously investigated. Objectives: The objective of the current study was to evaluate the molecular epidemiology of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2) in patients with HNC. Methods: A total of 156 patients with HNC were chosen including 90 biopsies and 66 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples. HNC was confirmed and affected different anatomical regions. HSV detection was performed by a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and HSV typing was assessed by a multiplex PCR. Results: The 156 HNC specimens included 35 (22.4%) larynx, 29 (18.6%) tongue, 6 (3.8%) glands (parotid and tonsil), 12 (7.6%) nasopharynx, 9 (5.7%) pharynx, 33 (21%) vocal cord, 3 (1.9%) palatine, glottis 17 (10.8%), nasal 2 (1.3%), mandibular 4 (2.5%), lip 4 (2.5%), neck 1 (0.6%), and face 1 (0.6%). The mean ± SD of the patients’ age was 60.3 ± 12.65, where 121 (77.1%) were male. The HSV was detected in 4 (2.6%) samples and 75% of HSV positive samples were HSV-1. Conclusions: The rate of HSV infection in Iranian patients with HNC was 2.6% with the majority being HSV-1 (75%). As a preliminary study in Iranian patients with HNC, cancer location was not statistically significant. Further investigations are needed to assess the role of HSV in HNC.

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