Prevalence of Human Papilloma Virus infection in nonsmoker patients with Squamous Cell carcinoma of tongue by polymerase Chain Reaction in south of Iran, Shiraz

Human papilloma virus(HPV) as one of the important causal agent of gynecological cancers appears to play an important role in cancer of oral cavity and oropharynx. This study was aimed to evaluate the relationship between presence of HPV and squamous cell carcinoma(SCC) of tongue in non-smokers patients in south of Iran. In this case control study, pathologic specimen of 35 nonsmoker patients with histological diagnosis of tongue SCC, compared with 30 specimen of patient with tongue lesion other than intraepithelial neoplasms. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect HPV16 and 18 genome in both groups.(10) of (35) in case group and (1) of (30) in control group, 28.5% versus3.3% showed presence of HPV genome by use of PCR. chi-square test used for statistical analysis of data (p value=0.007). Although this study support the strong association between HPV infection and tongue SCC in nonsmokers, but because of rarity of tongue SCC, planning for more advanced studies are suggested to prove this association.