HPV may be linked to cancer of the lung (HealthDay)

By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter by Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter - Mon Apr 4, 11: 48 pm EST

(Monday 4 April HealthDay News) - the human papillomavirus (HPV), a common sexually transmitted virus that accounts for most cases of cervical cancer, can also play a role in cancer of the lung, researchers report.

In other smaller studies, HPV found in patients with lung cancer. But what role plays the virus, if any, in the development of the disease is not known, scientists from the International Agency for research on Cancer (IARC) stated.

"These results preliminary mandate more investigations on the role of HPV in lung cancer,", said principal investigator Devasena Anantharaman, a postdoctoral fellow in the genetic epidemiology group, which is part of the CIRC.

"However, to determine the physical presence of the virus in these Lung Tumors and other established markers of cancer related to HPV are necessary to establish a causal link," Anantharaman said.

The findings were presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, held in Orlando, Florida Monday

For the study, the Anantharaman team sought 1,633 to 2,729 people without pulmonary disease HPV types in patients of lung cancer.

The researchers found that people without lung cancer had fewer types of HPV that patients with lung cancer. In patients with lung cancer, the chances of having eight serious HPV types have been significantly increased, the researchers added.

The strongest risk factor for lung cancer is smoking, however, this did not account of infection increased HPV, the authors of the study noted. The link between HPV and lung cancer remained current and former smokers as nonsmokers. The results are the same for men and women, said Anantharaman.

Types of HPV high risk, including HPV16 and HPV18, represent approximately 70 percent of cervical cancers. Types of low risk, HPV6 and HPV11, cause disorders such as genital warts and have also been observed in respiratory papillomatosis, which is a mild lung disease, Anantharaman said.

There is a vaccine to prevent HPV, but if the same vaccine would be any lung cancer is not clear, said Anantharaman.

"This study aims to report the observed associations." If these indicate that a causal relationship remains to be established, "he says. "I understand the interest in HPV vaccination." However, any interpretation in the light appears to be drawn by the hair at the moment. ?

The study was funded by the CIRC.

Dr. Luis e. Raez, co-leader of the Group of Thoracic Oncology at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Miller School of medicine, said that "this association is not sufficient to establish causation."

However, this initial conclusion is quite interesting to serve as a basis for further studies designed to confirm the link, he said. "Maybe this virus is linked to lung cancer," said Raez.

"If this virus is really linked to lung cancer, perhaps you can vaccinate smokers with HPV vaccine and you can prevent lung cancer," he said.

They note that research presented at meetings was not submitted to rigorous review before publication in a medical journal.

More information

To learn more about HPV, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

View the original article here