Prevalence and Characteristics of Human Papillomavirus Infection in Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Papilloma

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Studies on human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in oropharyngeal squamous papilloma (OPSP) are lacking, although HPV is a critical oncogenic virus for the development of oropharyngeal cancer. This study evaluated the prevalence and characteristics of HPV infection in OPSP and showed a 14.5% overall prevalence. High-risk HPV accounts for 75% of all HPV infections, with HPV16 being the most prevalent genotype, accounting for 58.3% of all HPV infections. There was a trend toward a higher prevalence of high-risk HPV infection in patients with OPSP aged ≤45 years, never-smokers, and those with multifocal diseases, which corresponded with the clinicodemographic profiles of HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer. These findings could enhance our understanding of HPV infection in OPSP and could be used as valuable epidemiological data for the management of HPV-associated OPSP. ABSTRACT: Studies on human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in oropharyngeal squamous papilloma (OPSP) are lacking, although HPV infection has been recognized as the primary cause of oropharyngeal cancer for several decades. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and characteristics of HPV infections in patients with OPSP. We retrospectively enrolled patients with histologically confirmed OPSP in whom the presence of HPV infections and p16 expression were evaluated. The results of HPV infection in OPSP were analyzed according to the clinicodemographic profiles. Of the 83 patients included in this study, HPV test results were positive in 12 patients, with an overall prevalence of 14.5%. HPV genotypes involved low-risk and high-risk HPV types in three (3.6%) and nine (10.8%) patients, respectively. The most prevalent genotype was HPV16, accounting for 58.3% of all HPV infections. None of the OPSPs showed p16 IHC positivity. There were trends toward a higher prevalence of high-risk HPV infection in patients with OPSP aged ≤45 years, never-smokers, and those with multifocal diseases. These findings could enhance our understanding of HPV infection in OPSP and be used as valuable epidemiological data for the management of HPV-associated OPSP and regarding the possible efficacy of HPV vaccinations in OPSP.