Paediatric Virology and its interaction between basic science and clinical practice (Review)

Mammas, Ioannis N.; Greenough, Anne; Theodoridou, Maria; Kramvis, Anna; Rusan, Maria; Melidou, Angeliki; Korovessi, Paraskevi; Papaioannou, Georgia; Papatheodoropoulou, Alexia; Koutsaftiki, Chryssie; Liston, Maria; Sourvinos, George; Spandidos, Demetrios A.

HPVs are known to be the aetiologic agents in cervical cancer and in a significant proportion of anogenital cancers (90% of anal cancers, 60-90% of vaginal and vulvar cancers and 30-40% of penile cancers) (44) . More recently, it has become apparent that HPVs are also drivers in a subset of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cases, in particular tonsillar and base of tongue carcinomas (45) . In addition, HPVs are associated with a number of benign neoplasms, including common cutaneous warts, genital warts, oral papillomas and recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) (44) . More than 150 types of HPVs have been discovered to date. These are primarily classified into either low-or high-risk according to their malignant potential, and into mucosal and cutaneous types. HPV-16 is the foremost high-risk type isolated from cervical, anogenital, and head and neck carcinomas.