HPVs may be involved in the development or progression of not only OSCC but also of potentially malignant oral lesions.

We tested 65, 44, and 116 patients with oral squamous cell cancer (OSCC), oral leukoplakia (OL), and oral lichen planus (OLP) against 68 age‐matched controls for the presence of Epstein–Barr virus (EBV). Apparently healthy mucosa was simultaneously sampled and examined in all patients. Paraffin‐embedded tissue sections of all EBV‐positive patients with OSCC were examined for latent membrane protein‐1 (LMP‐1) expression (demonstrable in most EBV‐associated malignancies) using immunohistochemistry. The prevalence of EBV in the controls and in OSCC, OL, and OLP lesions was 19.1%, 73.8%, 29.5%, and 46.6%, respectively, and 66.2%, 22.7%, and 31.9% in the healthy mucosa of patients, respectively. The prevalence of EBV in OSCC patients was significantly higher than in controls or in respective samples of the other two patient groups both in the lesion and in the healthy mucosa. Comparisons including only patients with EBV‐negative lesions yielded similar results. Lesions of patients with OLP, but not of patients with OL, differed significantly from controls in EBV prevalence. In OSCC, LMP‐1 expression was not detected, and EBV carriage was not significantly associated with any risk factors and did not influence the outcome. Although a high prevalence of EBV was found in OSCC, comparable carriage rates on healthy mucosa of patients indicated that an aetiological role of EBV is unlikely.

In Hungary oral and pharyngeal cancers have been reported the fourth most common malignancy in males and the sixth for both sexes. The aim of the present study was to characterize oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients in Northeastern Hungary. 119 randomly selected patients with OSCC were included in the study. Epidemiological data, clinicopathological parameters and the risk factors were registered. The most common sites of OSCC were the floor of the mouth (27.7%), the lip (26.9%) and the tongue (22.7%). The majority of the patients was diagnosed with early stage (I-II) lesions and moderately differentiated tumors. The 5-year overall survival rate was 38.7%. There was a significant correlation between survival and tumor size, lymph node involvement and clinical stage. At the time of diagnosis 65.5% of the patients were smokers. Smoking significantly correlated with younger age, male gender, advanced clinical stages and alcohol consumption. 75.5% of the patients consumed alcohol, 41.1% of them exceeding the conventional amount regularly. Drinking habit significantly correlated with younger age, male gender and tumor site i.e. gingiva, retromolar region, tongue. The dental status was acceptable only in 12.6% of the cases. There was a significant correlation between dental status and age, smoking and drinking habits. Clinical stage has the most significant impact on survival and the most important high-risk habits in Northeastern Hungary are smoking and alcohol consumption. Therefore, early detection and treatment, cessation of tobacco and alcohol abuse, and a regular dental care may improve patients' survival in the region.

In a previous pilot study, a significantly poorer outcome of laryngeal cancer was found in patients co-infected with human papillomavirus (HPV) and genogroup 1 torque tenovirus (TTV). The present study aimed to collect data on the overall prevalence of TTVs on the prevalence of genogroup 1 TTV in two other malignancies associated with HPV, oral squamous cell cancer and cervical cancer, and in oral and cervical premalignant lesions (oral lichen planus, oral leukoplakia, cervical atypia). Oral samples from all patients were accompanied with a sample from the healthy mucosa. The overall prevalence of TTV was significantly higher both in oral squamous cell cancer and cervical cancer compared with other patient groups or with the respective controls. The prevalence of genogroup 1 TTV was significantly higher in lesions of oral squamous cell cancer and oral lichen planus, but not in lesions of oral leukoplakia (24.6%, 10.1%, and 4.5%, respectively), compared with the prevalence in the oral cavity of controls (1.4%). Co-infection rates with genogroup 1 TTV and HPV were significantly higher in oral squamous cell cancer than in controls, oral lichen planus or oral leukoplakia patients (12.3%, 0.0%, 6.7%, and 4.5%, respectively). The prevalence of genogroup 1 TTV in all cervical samples were comparable. These data suggest that genogroup 1 TTV may be associated specifically with some head and neck mucosal disorders, but disproves a (co)carcinogenic role in oral cancer or cervical cancer as well as an association with HPV or with malignancies associated with HPV.

Oral human papillomavirus (HPV) carriage rates were investigated in relation to genital HPV carriage in women with HPV-associated cervical lesions and male partner of such women, including several couples, in comparison with healthy individuals. Buccal and lingual mucosa of 60 males and 149 females with healthy oral mucosa and without known genital lesion, genital and oral mucosa of further 40 females with cervical high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) and 34 male sexual partners of women with HSIL (including 20 couples) were sampled. HPV DNA was detected using MY/GP PCR. Genotype was determined by sequencing or restriction fragment length polymorphism. Virus copy numbers were determined by real-time PCR. Overall, oral HPV carriage rate was 5.7% (12/209) in healthy individuals; average copy number was 5.8 × 10(2) copies/1 μg DNA; male and female rates were comparable. Oral carriage in women with HSIL was significantly higher, 20.0% (8/40, P = 0.003); males with partners with HSIL showed a carriage rate of 17.6% (6/34), copy numbers were similar to the healthy controls. In contrast, genital carriage rate (52.9%, 18/34 vs. 82.5%, 33/40; P = 0.006) and average copy number were lower in males (5.0 × 10(5) vs. 7.8 × 10(5) copies/1 μg DNA; P = 0.01). Oral copy numbers in these groups and in healthy individuals were comparable. High-risk genotypes were dominant; couples usually had the same genotype in the genital sample. In conclusion, genital HPV carriage is a risk factor of oral carriage for the individual or for the sexual partner, but alone is not sufficient to produce an oral HPV infection in most cases.