Otolaryngology: Open Access
Open Access

Abstract

The precancerous lesions in the oral cavity mucosa are leukoplakia and erythroplakia. The involvement of HPV in these lesions is under investigation. Human papilloma viruses (HPVS) are epitheliotropic and infect cuntaneous or mucosal squamous epithelium depending on their genotype. Based on their association with carcinoma they are divided into highrisk types (HPV 16, 18, 31, 33 and 35) and into low-risk types (HPV 6, 11, 13 and 32). Studies have demonstrated that the prevalence of HPV in nondysplastic and in dysplastic leukoplakias is 20.2% and 26.2% respectively and the predominant HPV types in oral leukoplakia were (HPV 6/11, 55.8%) followed by (HPV 16/18, 28.2%). The incidence of HPV 16/18 is not different among patients with mild, moderate and severe dysplasia but HPV-16 is predominant in oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (68.2% and 86.7% respectively). Despite the fact that many studies have reported the presence of HPV DNA in oral leukoplakias; however, there is not enough evidence to prove correlation among HPV and oral leukoplakia or its progression to carcinoma. Regarding the oral erythroplakia there are few data in the literature but from a research, it was found a high association with HPV infection (50%) in a sample of 10 patients with this lesion. The relationship between HPV infection and laryngeal dysplasia is still unknown but there is a probability that HPV is a cofactor in the malignant progression of these lesions.

Biography

Avlonitou Eirini is an ENT Doctor of Athens Medical School in Greece. She has completed her PhD in Sleep Medicine and has expertise in the management of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in children and adults. She has number of publications in Greek and international journals in the subjects of rhinology, neurotology, sleep medicine and pediatric otorhinolaryngology.

Email: eavlonitou@hotmail.com