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Presence of Human Papillomavirus Type 16 Related Sequences in Verrucous Carcinoma of the Larynx¹

Departments of Otolaryngology [J. L. B., B. M. S., A. L. A.] and Pathology [B. W.], Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, New York 11042

Verrucous carcinoma of the larynx clinically resembles laryngeal papilloma in that both are wart-like masses on the vocal cords and may be characterized by multifocality and recurrence. Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is an etiological factor in laryngeal papilloma, and recent evidence implicates HPV in squamous neoplasias. To determine whether HPV is also associated with verrucous carcinoma of the larynx, we analyzed tissue specimens from six patients with verrucous carcinoma of the larynx by Southern and DNA dot blot hybridization for HPV DNA. From three patients, specimens of normal laryngeal epithelium were also studied. All tissues showed evidence of HPV sequences related but not identical to HPV-16. They were negative for HPV-11. In contrast, four squamous cell carcinomas of the larynx and three normal laryngeal tissues were negative for HPV DNA. Histological sections of the six verrucous lesions were found to contain koilocytosis. Immunoperoxidase staining for HPV capsid antigens was negative in all these cases. The consistent and specific association of HPV with the verrucous carcinomas in this report suggests the possibility of a pathogenic involvement.

¹ This investigation was supported by Grant 5 F32 AI06643-02 from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease and by Grant PO1 NS19214 from the National Institute of Neurologic and Communicative Disorders.

² To whom requests for reprints should be addressed.

Received 8/ 9/85. Revised 12/12/85. Accepted 12/18/85.