Human papillomavirus DNA in oesophageal carcinomas in South Africa

Abstract

Using morphological criteria, the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV) in oesophageal carcinomas has been inferred in patients from Finland and South Africa. However, studies to demonstrate the viral antigen in tissue sections of these tumours have proved disappointing. This study investigates 48 archival oesophageal carcinoma biopsies from South Africa for the presence of HPV DNA using non-isotopic in situ hybridization (NISH) with HPV DNA probes to HPV 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, and 33. HPV DNA sequences were detected in 25/48 (52 per cent) oesophageal cancers. HPV 16 was present in 84 per cent of the HPV-positive cancers. A NISH type 2 signal pattern (punctate/dot) was present in all HPV-positive tumours. This signal pattern was previously shown to represent integrated HPV DNA within host chromosome. Integrated HPV DNA in oesophageal cancers has also been demonstrated in patients from China and Japan. In addition, the prevalence of HPV DNA in oesophageal cancers from high-risk countries like South Africa (52 per cent) and China (49 per cent) would appear to be consistent.

Quercetin elevates p27Kip1 and arrests both primary and HPV16 E6/E7 transformed human keratinocytes in G1

“…People exposed to bracken fern, whether as spores or in the diet, are at greater risk of developing oesophageal and gastric carcinoma (Hirayama, 1979;Galpin et al, 1990;Villalobos-Salazar et al, 1995;Alonso-Amelot et al, 1996Marliere et al, 2000). Moreover, HPV-16 has been found in up to approximately 50% of oesophageal cancers and precancers in developing countries (Chang et al, 1990;Togawa et al, 1994;Cooper et al, 1995;Suzuk et al, 1996;de Villiers et al, 1999;Syrjanen, 2002). There is a geographical overlap between consumption of bracken fern, infection of the alimentary canal mucosa by HPV and upper GI tract cancer, particularly in Asia and South America.…”

“…HPV16 has been associated with up to 50% of oesophageal precancers and cancers particularly in developing countries (Chang et al, 1990;Togawa et al, 1994;Cooper et al, 1995;Suzuk et al, 1996;de Villiers et al, 1999;Syrjanen, 2002). The highly variable geographical incidence of oesophageal cancer and of HPV detection in the cancer suggest a multifactorial aetiology and the involvement of environmental dietary cofactors (Syrjanen, 2002).…”

Current topics in the epidemiology of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers

“…In the majority of studies, risk of all HNSCC is increased by 2-to 4-fold among individuals with a positive family history (PFH), after adjustment for the age, sex, alcohol and tobacco exposure of the index case. 124,[156][157][158][159][160] A PFH was usually defined as 1 or more first degree relatives with a history of HNSCC. Risk was greater if the affected family member was a sibling (approximately 8-to 14-fold), 124,157,161 and elevations in risk were more con-sistent for pharyngeal cancers.…”

Oesophageal Cancer in Africa

“…The wide range in HPV positivity could reflect, in part, differences in the sensitivity of the various detection methods used (PCR, in situ hybridisation, Southern blot hybridisation, and immunohistochemistry), and also differences in the incidence of HPV in the tumour samples examined. Although no reports could be found for the rest of Africa, HPV was detected in 26-71% of oesophageal squamous carcinoma samples from South African patients (18)(19)(20). Recent studies suggest that the low-risk HPV types (HPV 11 and HPV 39) are most frequently detected in oesophageal tumour tissues from South African patients (21).…”