An Unexpected Relationship Between Human Papillomavirus and Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Mendelian Randomization Study.

Abstract

Background/aim: Head and neck cancer (HNC) is the sixth most common type of cancer worldwide. While it is widely accepted that human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a crucial risk factor for the development of this type of cancer, there is still a lack of support from large-scale studies. This article addresses this gap by comprehensively analyzing the causal relationship between HPV infection and head and neck cancer using Mendelian randomization methods.

Patients and methods: The HPV database was utilized to identify instrumental variables via the most enormous GWAS database search tool. The study examined five cancer groups of data of interest from the UK Biobank and three groups of cancer data from the GAME-ON network, all obtained from public databases. The causal relationship was estimated using various approaches, including IVW, weighted median, MR-Egger, simple mode, and weighted mode.

Results: The results indicated no causal relationship between HPV16/18 E7 proteins and head and neck cancer, oral cancer, oropharyngeal cancer, and laryngeal cancer, including UKB database and GEME-ON network. Furthermore, there was no heterogeneity or horizontal pleiotropy in the data.

Conclusion: The analysis does not support a causal relationship between HPV infection and HNC, as indicated by the lack of evidence linking HPV16/18 E7 proteins to the development of this cancer.