High Frequency of HPV Genotypes ۱۶ and ۱۸ Found in Breast Cancer Patients: Evidence for a More Comprehensive HPV Vaccination Program in Iran

Background & Objectives: Papillomaviruses are found in many different types of infections and in a wide range of animals and humans. They can cause health problems, including benign and malignant tumors. In the present study, the association between human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and breast cancer (BC) in Iran was investigated. Materials & Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the presence of the HPV genome was investigated in BC-suspected tissues for the first time in Qom Province, Iran. A total of ۴۰۰ samples (including ۲۰۰ BC-suspected tissue samples and ۲۰۰ blood samples of women without BC) were collected from women referred to two cancer-specific general hospitals. To determine the presence of the L۱ gene of HPV in the collected samples, nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed. Then, HPV-positive samples were tested by PCR using high-risk specific HPV-۱۶ and ۱۸ primers. Results: Out of ۲۰۰ BC-suspected tissue samples, ۱۷۲ were malignant (in terms of pathology). Based on the nested PCR method, the L۱ gene of HPV was detected in ۱۲% (۲۴/۲۰۰) of the BC-suspected tissue samples and in ۱.۵% (۳/۲۰۰) of the blood samples from women without BC. The high-risk HPV genotypes (which were the predominant types) were present in ۷۵% of the samples. Conclusion: The results of the current study show a high frequency of HPV-۱۶ and ۱۸ genotypes in human BC in Iranian women. This is almost certainly due to poor rates of HPV vaccination, and it is strongly recommended that health organizations (such as the World Health Organization [WHO]) ensure adequate coverage of highly effective HPV vaccination in Iran.

کلیدواژه ها:

Human Papillomavirus ، Breast cancer ، Nested PCR