Role of human papillomavirus in the development of epithelial ovarian neoplasms in Italian women

AIM: In this article, for the first time, we investigate the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA in ovarian epithelial neoplasms from a group of 71 Italian women. The follow ups of the patients with or without HPV DNA were also considered to evaluate whether HPV DNA in these tumors could be an indicator of prognosis. METHODS: HPV DNA was evaluated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Additionally P16 immunoreactivity was evaluated in all positive cases to demonstrate the presence of HPV. RESULTS: Only three cases out of 71 epithelial ovarian neoplasms (4.22%) in this series were weakly HPV positive. The presence of HPV DNA in these cases did not seem to be related with the type of neoplasm, their grade of differentiation, staging of development, patient's age or survival. CONCLUSION: The presence of HPV could be an expression of a latent infection. In both positive and negative HPV ovarian neoplasms, cervix showed only chronic cervicitis and no signal for HPV DNA on PCR analysis.