Malignancy Associated with Low-Risk HPV6 and HPV11: A Systematic Review and Implications for Cancer Prevention

• Published in: Cancers Vol. 15; no. 16; p. 4068
• Main Authors: Silva, Leandro Lima da, Teles, Amanda Mara, Santos, Joana M. O, Souza de Andrade, Marcelo, Medeiros, Rui, Faustino-Rocha, Ana I, Oliveira, Paula A, dos Santos, Ana Paula Azevedo, Ferreira Lopes, Fernanda, Braz, Geraldo, Brito, Haissa O, Costa, Rui M. Gil da
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.08.2023; MDPI
• Subjects: Amino acids; Anogenital; Biopsy; Cancer; Carcinogenesis; Carcinogens; Cell differentiation; Cervical cancer; Cervix; Comparative analysis; Condyloma acuminatum; E7 gene; Genital cancers; Genomes; Genomics; Genotypes; Health aspects; Human papillomavirus; Hypotheses; Infection; Infections; Malignancy; Oncology, Experimental; Oropharyngolaryngeal carcinoma; Papillomavirus infections; Penis; Prevention; Proteins; Risk factors; Systematic Review; Vaccination; Vagina; Warts; Portugal
• ISSN: 2072-6694; 2072-6694
• DOI: 10.3390/cancers15164068

High-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) is etiologically related to cervical cancer, other anogenital cancers and oropharyngeal carcinomas. Low-risk HPV, especially HPV6 and HPV11, cause genital warts and laryngeal papillomas. However, the accumulating data suggests that HPV6 and HPV11 may cause malignant lesions at non-cervical anatomic sites. This review aims to estimate the proportions of single and dual HPV6/11 infections in multiple cancers reported in the last 10 years in the Cochrane, Embasa and PubMed databases. Secondly, the genomes of HPV6/11 were compared with the most common high-risk genotype, HPV16, to determine the similarities and differences. A total of 11 articles were selected, including between one and 334 HPV+ cancer patients. The frequencies of single or dual HPV6/11 infections ranged between 0–5.5% for penile and 0–87.5% for laryngeal cancers and were null for vulvar, vaginal and oral cancers. The genomic similarities between HPV6/11 and HPV16 mainly involved the E7 gene, indicating a limited ability to block cell differentiation. The presence of single or dual HPV6/11 infections in variable proportions of penile and laryngeal cancers support the vaccination strategies that cover these genotypes, not only for preventing genital warts but also for cancer prevention. Other risk factors and co-carcinogens are likely to participate in epithelial carcinogenesis associated with low-risk HPV.