Heterogeneity: A stumbling block in the expression of human papillomaviruses 16 in oral squamous cell carcinoma

Background: Tobacco and smoking are the established risk factors for oral cancer, but studies have reported the occurrence of oral cancer, even in the absence of these established factors. This indicates the need to identify other possible risk factors. In recent years, viral carcinogens have gained interest in which human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are the most researched risk factor in oral carcinogenesis. Therefore, we conducted this study to evaluate the presence of HPV-16 in potentially malignant and malignant lesions of the oral cavity. Methods: The current study comprised 40 patients, and they were divided into two groups: Group A: 20 patients with histopathologically diagnosed oral potentially malignant disorders (leukoplakia/erythroplakia) and Group B: 20 patients with histopathologically diagnosed oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Tissue samples were collected from all patients and made into formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) blocks. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test was carried out to detect the presence of HPV-16. Results: In our study, we found that none of the FFPE tissue samples was positive for the HPV-16 genome using the conventional PCR technique. The level of significance (P value) was set at P < 0.05. Conclusion: The absence of HPV-16 in OSCC could possibly due to variation in the geographical location and anatomical subsites, ethnicity, and host serological response.