Background: Both esophageal carcinoma and HTLV-1 (Human T cell lymphotropic virus 1) have high prevalence in northeastern of Iran.
Objective: To assess the presence of HTLV-1 genome in esophageal cancerous tissue and in tissues from non cancerous individuals.
Methods: Eighty five patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and 48 non-cancerous control patients that underwent esophagogasteroscopy for other reasons were included in this study. All selected subjects are residing in northeastern part of Iran. All specimens were studied histopathologically by H&E staining and were evaluated for HTLV-1 by PCR method. In PCR, the presence of tax, pol, env and LTR segments of HTLV-1 genome were detected.
Results: Male to female ratio in the case group was 3 to 5. Average age and standard deviation in case and control group were 56 +/- 17 and 54 +/- 21 years, respectively; which did not have any significant differences. All the patients came from the same area in the northeastern part of Iran. HTLV-1 genome was found in two subjects with esophageal cancer and in one subject in the control group. Statistical analysis showed no significant differences between the two groups (chi square = 0.26, Fisher exact test P value = 0.7, Odd ratio = 1.13 [0.08<OR<32.46]).
Conclusion: HTLV-1 infection and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma did not appear to have a significant correlation.