HPV 18 Detection in Oral SCCs and Potentially Malignant Lesions Using Saliva Samples

Oral cancer holds the eighth position in the cancer incidence ranking worldwide and is the 11th most common form of cancer in Malaysia (Lim et al., 2008; Moore et al., 2009). Of all head and neck cancers, Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common malignant epithelial neoplasm of oral cavity (90%); they represent approximately 5% in men and 2 % in women considering all malignancies (Silverman, 1998; Robert, 2000). Several potentially malignant lesions that are linked to oral cancer include leukoplakia, lichen planus, and erythroplakia (Neville and Day, 2002; Dissemond, 2004; Reichart and Philipsen, 2005). In Malaysia, incidence of oral cancer varies between gender and ethnic groups (MNCR, 2003); for males it is the sixth while for females it is the third most common cancer (MNCR, 2003). OSCC is common among Malaysian Indians especially in the lower socio-economical groups