Young adult patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue strongly express p16 without human papillomavirus infection

Abstract

Background: Long-term smoking and drinking are known to contribute to the onset of tongue cancer (TC). However, the increasing incidence of TC in younger adults has been suggested to be associated with other factors.

Objectives: The present study investigated the relationship between TC and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.

Material and methods: Clinical records and surgically resected specimens from 86 patients (<40-years-old, n = 12; ≥40-years-old, n = 74) with TC were analyzed. Strong nuclear and cytoplasmic p16 staining was considered positive. HPV DNA (high-risk subtypes: 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 52b, and 58; low-risk subtypes: 6 and 11) was detected using consensus primer-mediated polymerase chain reaction.

Results: Strong p16 expression was observed in 10 (11.6%) patients. HPV DNA was detected in 9 (10.5%) patients (high-risk subtypes, n = 2; low-risk subtypes, n = 7). Strong p16 expression was observed more frequently among younger adults than among older adults (33.3% vs. 8.1%; p = .045). p16 staining did not correlate with the detection of HPV DNA (correlation coefficient, 0.113; p = .300).

Conclusions and significance: In TC, p16 expression was not associated with HPV infection, suggesting that it may be caused by a different mechanism.

Chinese abstract

背景：长期吸烟和饮酒是导致舌癌（TC）发病的因素。然而, 年轻人中TC发病率的增加被认为与其它因素有关。

目的：探讨TC与人乳头瘤病毒（HPV）感染的关系。

材料与方法：对86例（40岁以下, n=12；40岁及以上, n=74）TC患者的临床记录及手术切除标本进行分析。强核和细胞质p16染色被认为是阳性。使用一致性引物介导的聚合酶链反应检测到HPV DNA（高危亚型：16、18、31、33、35、52b和58；低危亚型：6和11）。

结果：10例（11.6%）患者p16表达明显。9例（10.5%）患者检测到HPV DNA（高危亚型, n=2；低危亚型, n=7）。年轻人中p16的强表达率高于老年人（33.3%相对于8.1%；p=.045）。p16染色与HPV DNA的检测无相关性（相关系数0.113；P=.300）。

结论和意义：对于舌癌, p16的表达与HPV感染无关, 说明它可能是由不同的机制引起的。

Keywords:

• Human papillomavirus
• p16 protein
• tongue cancer

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.