HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS (HPV) TYPE-6/11 AND 16/18 IN SQUAMOUS-CELL CARCINOMAS OF THE UPPER AERODIGESTIVE TRACT - AN INSITU HYBRIDIZATION STUDY

61 squamous cell cancers (27 laryngeal, 12 hypopharyngeal, 14 tonsillary, 8 tongue) with different keratinization and grading and seven lymph node metastases of HPV 16/18 positive carcinomas were analysed for the presence of HPV-DNA by in situ hybridisation. 65.5 % of them were found to be positive. Twelve laryngeal carcinomas (44 %), five tonsillary tumours (35.7 %), eight tumours of the hypopharynx (66.6 %) and three tongue carcinomas (37.5 %) were shown to contain HPV 16/18 DNA. The detection rates of HPV 6/11 were lower. 44 of the analysed tumours (72.1 %) had a grading G2. 29 of these tumours (65.9 %) were HPV positive. Only eight of the patients were no heavy smokers or alcoholic drinkers. One of the lymph node metastases was positive for HPV 16/18. The results indicate that HPV may be involved in the pathogenesis of squamous cell carcinomas of head and neck tumours.