Human oncogenic viruses: a focus on head and neck carcinogenesis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Antonia Taiane Lopes de Moraes; Erison Santana Dos Santos; Caíque Mariano Pedroso; Rafael Tomaz Gomes; Renata Ferrarotto; Alan Roger Santos-Silva

doi:10.1016/j.oooo.2024.10.082

Human oncogenic viruses: a focus on head and neck carcinogenesis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol. 2024 Oct 30:S2212-4403(24)00618-7. doi: 10.1016/j.oooo.2024.10.082. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Antonia Taiane Lopes de Moraes¹, Erison Santana Dos Santos¹, Caíque Mariano Pedroso¹, Rafael Tomaz Gomes², Renata Ferrarotto³, Alan Roger Santos-Silva⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Oral Diagnosis, Semiology and Oral Pathology Areas, Piracicaba Dental School, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil.
² Galderma Laboratories L. P., São Paulo, Brazil.
³ Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
⁴ Department of Oral Diagnosis, Semiology and Oral Pathology Areas, Piracicaba Dental School, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 39551637
DOI: 10.1016/j.oooo.2024.10.082

Abstract

Objective: This systematic review aimed at identifying oncoviruses associated with head and neck malignant neoplasms (HNC).

Study design: Five databases and grey literature sources were searched following PRISMA guidelines. The risk of bias in individual studies was analyzed using the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist, and the certainty of evidence was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation tool.

Results: One hundred and 19 studies were included in the qualitative synthesis. Gathered results of 57 studies were combined in a meta-analysis revealing a significant link between oncoviruses and the development of head and neck cancer, with the most common viruses identified were human papillomavirus (HPV)-16, HPV-18, and Epstein-Barr virus. More studies are needed to clarify the association of human cytomegalovirus and Merkel Cell Polyomavirus with HNC.

Conclusions: Although the role of viruses in cancer onset has been studied for years, our results demonstrated using a meta-analysis that these viruses are associated with HNC.

Publication types

Review