Human papilloma virus (HPV) is considered a worldwide public health problem, with 70% of cervical cancers being incriminated to strains 16 & 18 and 90% of genital warts on 6 & 11. With recent tools of molecular biology, we now know there are over 200 genotypes, with very different anatomical site tropism. We aim to demonstrate the implication of HPV in tongue cancer carcinogenesis and the importance of couple diagnosing
We present the case of a 27 years old woman who was diagnosed with tongue cancer T2N1M0, in which by PCR reverse hybridization on the biopsy sample HPV 16 strain infection was identified. The patient followed standard surgical and oncological protocol for tongue neoplasm, with favourable outcome, with no signs of local recurrence at two years.
At the same time, she was colposcopically investigated, thus detecting moderate cervical dysplasia (CIN 2), while cervical HPV typing identified the same 16 strain infection. The cervical lesion was surgically treated by diathermal loop electroresection, and the HPV retesting at 3 months post-intervention was negative. The patient received the anti-HPV tetravalent vaccine, using the complete protocol.
The partner, age 41, was diagnosed in a dermato-venerology service with penile warts. HPV genotyping identified the strains 16, 31 and 40 as positive. Penile lesions were cauterized and the patient was vaccinated anti-HPV on request with complete protocol without local recurrence at two years.
Interdisciplinary collaboration, consisting in a medical team of otorhinolaryngologists, oromaxilofacial surgeons, gynaecologists, urologists and dermatologists, contributed to the optimal management of this case of couple HPV infection.
The detection of one or more strains of HPV in the genital or otolaryngology area in one of the partners of a couple requires a complete medical history and physical investigations for the detection of all possible HPV-induced lesions regardless of their location in both partners.