Presence of Human Papillomavirus -16 and -18 Among Women with Breast Cancer in Isfahan Province

Background: Various studies proposed virus infection is to be a possible cause of human breast cancer. However, the data argue the association between virus and cancer are inconsistent. This study was conducted to detect whether HPV-DNA is present in tissue samples of breast cancer in Isfahan province. Materials and Methods: Paraffin embedded formalin fixed specimens were prepared from 40 breast tumor and 20 healthy tissues in women with breast cancer from Isfahan province. After DNA extraction and amplification of beta-actin housekeeping gene for evaluation of DNA purity, all DNA samples with appropriate purity were examined for detection of DNA-HPV by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using virus specific primers. Data was analyzed with Cramer test using SPSS16.0 software. Result: Presence of DNA-HPV 16 in 3 out of 40 cases (5.7%) and DNA-HPV18 in 8 out of 40 (20%) cases of breast cancer samples was observed and DNA-HPV18. DNA-HPV 16 and 18 were detected in none of the 20 control samples. Statistically, Cramerʹs index for HPV16 infection was 0.197 and Sig=0.077 in cancer samples, and Cramerʹs index for HPV18 infection was 0.333 and Sig=0.003 in cancer samples. Conclusion: Therefore, in Isfahan province, HPV18 is meaningful associated with breast cancer in women and HPV16 is not meaningful associated with breast cancer in women. Further studies in other regions are needed to clarify the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms behind the association of HPV16, 18 infection and breast cancer