A Survey of Human Papillomavirus and Epstein-Barr virus Immunohistochemical Status in Patients with Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC).

Background: Head and neck cancers are among the most prevalent cancers in the body. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of P16 and Epstein-Barr virus/latent membrane protein (EBV/LMP1) markers by immunohistochemistry in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

Methods: In this study, all tissue samples of head and neck biopsies from 75 patients with confirmed diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) during 2016 to 2018 who admitted to the pathology laboratory of Imam Khomeini Hospital, Iran were selected. Paraffin blocks which prepared from these tissue samples were obtained. The slides were prepared from all samples for routine Hematoxylin-Eosin and immunohistochemical staining to evaluate the expression of EBV/LMP1 and P16 markers in cancer cells.

Results: The mean age of patients was 63 years and most patients (85.3%) were male in 75 patients with HNSCC. There was a significant relationship between EBV/LMP1 biomarker expression and vascular invasion in patients (p < 0.05). There was no relationship between EBV/LMP1 biomarker expression and age, sex ,anatomical site of tumor and tumor differentiation of patients (p > 0.05). There was no relationship between P16 biomarker expression and age, sex, tumor differentiation, anatomical site of tumor and vascular invasion of patients (p > 0.05). There is a significant relationship between P16 biomarker and EBV/LMP1 biomarker staining (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: The level of P16 positive biomarker was high in patients with HNSCC. However, the EBV/LMP1 positive biomarker was moderate in patients. There was a relationship between EBV/LMP1 biomarker expression and vascular invasion in HNSCC patients, as well as between P16 biomarker and EBV/LMP1 biomarker staining.