Evaluation of human papillomavirus type 197 genome in non-melanoma skin cancer and adjacent non-tumoral skin margins
Abstract
Aim: We aimed to investigate the presence of human papillomavirus type 197 (HPV197) in patients with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC). Materials & methods: 58 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue samples, including 12 SCC and 46 BCC and the adjacent non-tumoral skin of the same patient were analyzed for the presence of HPV197E6 gene, using a quantitative real-time PCR assay. Results: The HPV197E6 gene was identified in 12 tumor samples (7 BCC and 5 SCC), but not in the control group. Conclusion: Based on these results, a high copy number of HPV197E6 gene provides additional support for the role of HPV197 in skin cancer.
Plain language summary
The skin is one of the most common sites of cancer. Several risk factors have been studied for skin cancer, including viral infections. The human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most studied viruses in cancer research. In this study, we investigated the role of HPV197, a recently discovered HPV, in skin cancer. Of 58 tissue samples examined, 12 skin cancer samples contained HPV197, while HPV was not detected in any of the non-tumoral skin tissues. This suggests that the HPV197 virus may be a risk factor for skin cancer.
Papers of special note have been highlighted as: • of interest; •• of considerable interest
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