Detection of Human Papillomavirus DNA by PCR in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma from Turkmen Sahra, North-East of Iran

Human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA has been identified in esophageal carcinomas. However, the incidence of HPV varies significantly in different geographical locations. In this study, neoplasms from Turkmen Sahra, a region in Golestan province in northeast part of Iran, with a high incidence of squamous cell carcinoma were analyzed for the presence of HPV DNA. Turkmen Sahra is located in the cancer belt in Asia. Eighty-five squamous cell carcinomas were examined for the presence of HPV DNA. PCR was utilized to amplify a 124-bp segment of the HPV L1 gene using the consensus primers. The amplified region was subsequently sequenced to identify the HPV. The results indicated that the rates of HPV detection in squamous cell carcinoma specimen for men and women were 52.8% and 43.7% respectively. The positive cases included HPV-16 (54.7%), HPV-18 (4.8%), HPV-6 (14.3%), HPV-66 (7.1%), HPV-52 (4.8%) and 14.3% of cases were positive for more than one type of HPV. Human papillomavirus type 16 that can be potentially oncogenic was prevalent in 54.8% of the cases of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Our results confirm the previously reported HPV involvement in the esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, and support the possible role of HPV as an etiological agent in esophageal carcinogenesis.