Identification and genotyping of human papillomavirus in a Spanish cohort of penile squamous cell carcinomas: correlation with pathologic subtypes, p16(INK4a) expression, and prognosis.

BACKGROUND

Penile squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC) is a tumor with a high metastatic potential. In PSCC the attributable fraction to human papillomavirus (HPV) is not well established.

OBJECTIVE

We sought to provide novel data about the prevalence of HPV in a large series of penile intraepithelial neoplasia (PeIN) and invasive PSCC, correlating the results with the histologic subtype, p16(INK4a) immunostaining, and prognosis.

METHODS

A total of 82 PSCC were included in the study, 69 invasive and 13 PeIN. HPV detection was performed by polymerase chain reaction with SPF-10 broad-spectrum primers followed by DNA enzyme immunoassay and genotyping with a reverse hybridization line probe assay. P16(INK4a) immunohistochemical expression on tissue microarrays was also analyzed.

RESULTS

HPV DNA was identified in 31 of 77 (40.2%) PSCC (22 of 67 invasive and 9 of 10 PeIN). In 25 of 31 (80.6%) cases HPV-16 was identified. HPV detection was significantly associated with some histologic subtypes: most basaloid and warty tumors were high-risk HPV (hrHPV) positive, whereas only 15% of usual PSCC were hr-HPV positive. All hrHPV-positive PSCC had an adjacent undifferentiated PeIN. Strong p16(INK4a) immunostaining correlated with hrHPV infection. Most undifferentiated PeIN showed p16(INK4a) immunohistochemical overexpression. Both hrHPV-positive and p16(INK4a)-positive tumors showed a better overall survival without reaching statistical significance.

LIMITATIONS: This was a retrospective study.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that most hrHPV-positive PSCC develop from undifferentiated hrHPV-positive PeIN. P16(INK4a) immunostaining may be useful in identifying both etiologically related hrHPV-positive tumors and those with better outcome. The routine use of p16(INK4a) staining should be incorporated in histologic evaluation of PSCC.