Human papilloma virus attributable head and neck cancer in the sudan assessed by p16ink4a immunostaining

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to screen for human papillomavirus (HPV) infections in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) using P16 immunostaining. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was performed on 150 samples from patients diagnosed with HNSCCs. HPV status was determined using p16INK4A. Results: 31 of the 150 (20.7%) HNSCCs were HPV positive. Conclusions: A large proportion of HNSCCs in Sudan are associated with HPV infection. The fact that the prevalence of HPV is high among Sudanese patients with w ith head and neck cancers (HNC) has obvious implications for vaccine therapy.