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Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas in HIV-Positive Patients: A Preliminary Investigation of Viral Associations

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Abstract

Oncogenic human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are associated with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) increases susceptibility to opportunistic infections and viral-promoted cancers. The prevalences of HPV, herpes simplex virus (HSV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) have not been established for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma in HIV-positive patients (HIV+ HNSCC). We have observed that HIV+ HNSCC tend to contain numerous multinucleated tumor giant cells, this finding has not been described previously. The goal of this study is to test for these oncogenic viruses in a small cohort of retrospectively identified patients with HIV infection, and to compare histologically these cancers to a control group of HNSCC patients. Tumors were reviewed histologically and compared to a control group of 102 patients with HNSCC (serologically untyped or HIV negative). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded HIV+ HNSCC samples from combined 25 patients in two institutions. In situ hybridization was performed to identify EBV (EBER) and immunohistochemistry was performed to detect HSV-1, HSV-2, HHV-8, and HIV-related proteins (Nef, p24). The study sample consisted of 34 HIV+ patients with HNSCC from Montefiore Medical Center, and six HIV+ HNSCC patients from Hospital Clinic, University of Barcelona; 24 (60%) men and 16 (40%) women. The larynx was most commonly involved (65%, n = 26); followed by the oropharynx (22.5%, n = 9). Four carcinomas arose from the oral cavity (10%) and one from the nasal cavity (2.5%). Histologically, multinucleated tumor giant cells were more common in the HIV+ group (39/40, 97.5%) than the control group (27/102, 26%, p 0.001, chi-square). HPV was detected in 6 of 25 (24%) HNSCC tumors by PCR, five were typed as HPV 16 and one as HPV 26/69; five of these tumors (83%) were located in the oropharynx. EBV, HSV-1, HSV-2, and HHV-8 were detected only infrequently in tumor cells. Nef protein was detected in tumor cells in 7 of 21 (33.3%) cases; p24 was not detectable in 6 tumors studied. There were no significant associations between HPV positive tumors and co-infections with other viruses. This study is consistent with other reports that suggest an increased incidence of laryngeal carcinoma for HIV+ patients. HPV was detected in 24% of HIV+ HNSCC, however, the number of tumors with amplifiable DNA (n = 25) is too small to allow for conclusions. EBV, HSV-1, HSV-2, and HHV-8 are uncommon in HIV+ HNSCC; it is unlikely that these viruses have a promoting effect. MNTCG are significantly common in HIV+ HNSCC, but there is overlap in MNTCG counts with the control group and therefore this finding cannot be used as a biomarker of HIV infection.

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Acknowledgment

The authors thank Dr. Robert D. Burk, MD, Departments of Microbiology & Immunology, Obstetrics, Gynecology, & Women’s Health at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY for performing the HPV PCR studies, and Nicolas F. Schlecht, PhD, Department of Epidemiology & Population Health, and Michael B. Prystowsky, MD, PhD, Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, for critical review of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, MD Anderson, Houston, TX, USA

    Michael S. McLemore

  2. Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA

    Missak Haigentz Jr.

  3. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA

    Richard V. Smith

  4. Department of Pathology, Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA

    Gerard J. Nuovo

  5. Hospital Clinic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    Llucia Alos & Antonio Cardesa

  6. Department of Pathology, NP 3545, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1802 6th Avenue South, Birmingham, AL, 35249, USA

    Margaret Brandwein-Gensler

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  1. Michael S. McLemore
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Correspondence to Margaret Brandwein-Gensler.

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McLemore, M.S., Haigentz, M., Smith, R.V. et al. Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas in HIV-Positive Patients: A Preliminary Investigation of Viral Associations. Head and Neck Pathol 4, 97–105 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12105-010-0171-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12105-010-0171-9

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