Expression and Significance of HPV16 E6/E7 mRNAs in the Bronchial Brush and TBNA Cells of Patients With Small Cell Lung Cancer

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is characterized by rapid growth, strong invasion, and early metastasis. However, the cause of its occurrence remains unclear. High-risk HPV infection is closely related to the occurrence of non-small cell lung cancer and cervical small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma. METHODS: The expression levels of E6 mRNA and E7 mRNA in HPV16 were detected by qRT-PCR in the bronchial brushing and transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) of 310 patients with lung cancer and with benign lung diseases. To make the design of this experiment scientific and reasonable, the expression levels in lung squamous cell carcinoma were taken as positive controls, while those in benign cells were taken as negative controls. RESULTS: The expression levels of E6 mRNA and E7 mRNA in SCLC group were significantly higher than those in benign cell group and slight higher than those in squamous cell carcinoma group. The expression levels of E6 mRNA and E7 mRNA in the central type of SCLC were significantly higher than those in the peripheral type of SCLC. CONCLUSIONS: We speculate that the occurrence of some small cell carcinoma is the same as that of some squamous cell carcinoma, which is closely related to HPV16 infection. The overexpression of E6 mRNA and E7 mRNA is in some benign lesion cells, which may be related to HPV transient infection.