"Several
high risk Human papilloma viruses (HPVs) known to initiate cervical cancer,
may also initiate breast cancer. HPV has a causal role in 90-95 per cent
of cervical cancers.
The
idea that HPV has an involvement in breast cancer is controversial.
Scientific reports from 15 countries around the world have correlated high
risk HPVs with breast cancer but the association varies – from as low as
four per cent to as high as 86 per cent. The technique for
“fingerprinting” HPV in breast cancer cells – standard polymerase
chain reaction (PCR) – has also been criticized for its propensity for
contamination.
We
addressed these issues by using a technique (in
situ PCR) that avoids cross-contamination and which provides
evidence about whether HPV genetic material is present in the nuclei of
human breast cancer specimens. We validated our findings by looking for
“telltale” changes linked to HPV such as enlarged nucleus surrounded
by a characteristic ‘halo’ (technically known as koilocytosis which is
commonly present in early HPV associated cervical cancer).
These
new findings confirm the presence of high risk HPV in the nuclei of breast
cancer epithelial cells. The identification of koilocytes is consistent
with the HPVs having an oncogenic role in breast tissues."
(Comment
on: Heng
B et al.: "Human papilloma virus is associated with breast
cancer", Br
J Cancer. 2009 Sep 1. [Epub ahead of print])
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