AACR II: Linking HPV Infection to Skin Cancer in Patients With CLL
Posted: Wednesday, July 8, 2020
Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) tend to have a higher incidence and recurrence of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma due to impaired cell-mediated immunity; however, new research has revealed that approximately one-half of these lesions may be associated with human papillomavirus (HPV). In data presented during the 2020 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Virtual Annual Meeting II (Abstract 4898/14), the rate of lesions containing HPV from the α or β genus was similar.
“Although our analysis derived some interesting associations, the role for HPV in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in patients with impaired humoral immunity requires further characterization,” stated Iberia Romina Sosa, MD, PhD, of Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, and colleagues. “This is particularly important as we explore the role of vaccinations in reducing HPV-associated malignancies.”
In this analysis, 11 patients diagnosed with CLL contributed a total of 37 cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma samples. HPV was detected in 49% of the sample lesions; 27% of the lesions contained β-genus HPV and 30% contained α-genus HPV. The most frequently reported viral strain was HPV-27—commonly associated with cutaneous warts rather than cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma—with 16% of lesions containing this variant. The majority of the HPV-containing lesions involved moderate dermal lymphocytic inflammation and were often observed in sun-exposed areas such as the scalp and face. Of note, HPV-16 and HPV-18—often found in anogenital epithelia—were detected in sun-exposed skin in 14% of the lesions examined, suggesting a potential “novel pathology in compromised humoral immunity.”
Disclosure: For disclosures of the study authors, visit www.abstractsonline.com.
