Malignant transformation of human papilloma viral lesion into squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue in the HIV population: Case reports and review of literature

Abstract

Human papilloma virus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted viral disease responsible for mucosal warts and anogenital malignancies. HPV-associated oral lesions include condyloma, focal epithelial hyperplasia and some squamous cell carcinomas. Both oral and genital lesions caused by HPV are more commonly seen in those co-infected with HIV. While there is some degree of HPV genotypespecific clinical presentation, unusual manifestations of oral HPV disease in the HIV-positive patient frequently occur. Examinations of oral-wart biopsy specimens from HIV-positive individuals reveal a range of HPV genotypes, including cutaneous type 2; genital types 6, 11, 16 and 18; and oral type 13. However, the most common HPV genotypes identified in HIV-associated oral warts are oral specific HIV type 32 and the cutaneous HPV type 7. This paper presents two cases of HPV lesions associated with these types, which progressed into oral squamous cell carcinoma.