Human papillomavirus type 16 and 18 in urothelial bladder neoplasms: detection, quantification, and comparison with non-neoplastic samples.

BACKGROUND: Bladder cancer is a prevalent urothelial cancer, and recent studies have focused on the potential role of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) in its development. This study investigates the prevalence and viral load of HPV types 16 and 18 in bladder urothelial neoplasms and compares these findings with non-neoplastic samples. METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using tissue samples from patients with urothelial bladder carcinoma (UBC) and a non-neoplastic control group. DNA was extracted and analyzed using real-time PCR to detect and quantify HPV types 16 and 18. RESULTS: Although the prevalence of high-risk HPV types (16 and 18) was higher in bladder cancer patients compared to controls, the difference was not statistically significant. However, HPV-16 viral load was significantly higher in patients (P < 0.001), and HPV-18 viral load was also significantly elevated (P = 0.004). Both HPV-16 and HPV-18 viral loads were generally higher in bladder cancer patients compared to healthy individuals. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated an increased prevalence of high-risk HPV types in bladder urothelial neoplasms, with elevated viral loads for HPV-16 and HPV-18 in the cancer group. While these differences were not statistically significant, the increased viral load suggests that HPV may play a role in bladder cancer progression, particularly in cases of persistent infection. These findings highlight the importance of strengthening HPV vaccination programs and further investigation into the long-term effects of HPV on bladder cancer.