Influence of Oncoproteins E6 and E7 of high-risk Human Papilloma Virus on Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most frequent neoplasm in the world, and its causes are multifactorial. Some risk factors are already well established, and others are still being studied, such as infections with certain agents, like the human papillomavirus (HPV). This study aimed to carry out a literature review about the association between breast cancer and HPV, aiming to analyze the role of their E6 and E7 oncoproteins, using PUBMED and LILACS databases for the research. Of the 41 articles included in the study, 30 endorse the association of HPV with breast cancer, of these, only eight with statistically significant values. This study found HPV 16 as the genotype with the highest detection rate and ductal carcinoma as the histological pattern with the highest frequency. Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue (FFPE) was the most studied type of sample storage and preservation, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was the most used detection method. The virus genetic material was found integrated into the host cell genome in most of the samples. Given the findings, it was concluded that HPV can have a great influence on breast carcinogenesis, however, studies involving the carcinogenic pathways of HPV, and morphological and molecular patterns should be carried out involving a larger sample.