Tongue Cancer Spurred by HPV, Periodontitis

Reported April 8, 2008

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- The gum disease periodontitis and the human papillomavirus (HPV) appear to be a deadly duo.

A new study conducted by New York researchers reveals the two conditions work together to promote the development of tongue cancer.

The research involved an analysis of tongue cancer tumors from 30 patients who were treated between 1999 and 2005 and for whom periodontal and tumor HPV status was known.

Tumors taken from 63 percent of the patients tested positive for HPV, and 90 percent of these patients also had periodontitis. Conversely, 79 percent of the patients with tumors that were free of HPV were found to be free of periodontitis as well.
 

The authors note most people end up with an HPV infection at some point in their lives, but in most people, the infection readily clears and causes no lasting harm. They believe persistent infection is the key to the development of cancer.

“The identification of factors that influence the persistence of HPV infection is critical to facilitate efforts to prevent head and neck cancers,” study author Mine Tezal, D.D.S., Ph.D., was quoted as saying. “This study implicates that chronic inflammation and co-infection with oral bacteria may be significant factors in the natural history of HPV infection.”

SOURCE: Presented at the 2008 American Association of Dental research meeting, April 4, 2008