Presence of Human Papilloma Virus in a Series of Breast Carcinoma from Argentina

BACKGROUND: The etiology and the molecular mechanisms related to breast carcinogenesis remain poorly understood. Some recent reports have examined the role of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) in this disease. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of HPV in breast cancer. METHODS: Sixty one fresh frozen breast cancers samples were analyzed. Samples were tested for HPV by PCR, and products were automatically sequenced. Findings were correlated with clinical and pathological characteristics. RESULTS: The HPV DNA prevalence in the breast cancer samples was 26% (16/61). Clinical parameters were not statistically associated with HPV presence (p>0.05 χ(2) test). Sequence analysis in a subgroup of cases indicates the prevalence of low risk HPV11, followed by high risk HPV16. We found no HPV transcriptional activity. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated for the first time in Argentina the presence of HPV in a proportion of the malignant breast tissues. This finding suggests that HPV may have a biological significance in breast carcinogenesis.