Low prevalence of HPV detection and genotyping in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer using single-step PCR followed by reverse line blot.

purposeTo clarify the role of human papillomavirus (HPV) in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, HPV-DNA was scrutinized in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) bladder cancer tissue using single-step PCR (HPV L1) for HPV detection, followed by reverse line blot (RLB) for genotyping.

methodsA total of 186 patients who underwent transurethral resection of the bladder due to primary, non-muscle invasive bladder cancer from 2006 to 2009 were reviewed. A positive control group of 22 cervical tissues with cervical carcinoma was included.

resultsHistology confirmed urothelial carcinoma in all patients: primary CIS, pTa, pT1 and pTa + pT1 in 14 (7.5 %), 134 (72 %), 36 (19.4 %) and two (1.1 %) patients, respectively. A total of 119 (63.9 %) of them were classified as low-risk, while 67 (36.1 %) were high-risk cancers. Tumor recurrence and progression (≥pT2) were seen in 79 and 11 patients (mean follow-up 45 months). The presence of HPV-DNA by single-step PCR was detected in four (2.2 %) patients. HPV 16 and HPV 6 were positive in two (1.1 %) and one (0.6 %) patient, respectively In one case, no HPV genotype listed on the RLB assay could be identified. In the control group, the HPV infection rate was 100 %: HPV 16 in 12 (54.6 %) patients, HPV 16/18 in four (18.3 %) patients, HPV 18 in two (9.1 %) patients, HPV 16/45 in one patient (4.5 %), HPV 18/33 in one (4.5 %) patient, HPV 16/33 in one (4.5 %) patient and HPV 33 in one (4.5 %) patient.

conclusionsOur study demonstrates low prevalence of HPV infection in FFPE bladder cancer tissue, arguing against the etiological role of HPV in non-muscle urothelial carcinogenesis.