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UV sensitivity, HPV seropositivity associated with squamous cell carcinoma

Sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation and suntanning tendencies may increase the risk for developing squamous cell carcinoma among patients with cutaneous human papillomavirus seropositivity in genera alpha and beta, according to study results.

Researchers conducted a multiclinic case-control study of patients in Florida who were diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC, n=156) or basal cell carcinoma (BCC, n=204). They also recruited a control group (n=297) without a history of skin cancer who screened negative at enrollment. Participants aged 18 to 80 years completed self-assessments on lifestyle factors and tanning abilities, and each provided a blood sample to measure cutaneous human papillomavirus (HPV) antibodies.

Logistic regression was used to compute odds ratios for the associations between measures of sunlight exposure and incidence of BCC and SCC. Researchers also stratified the study by genus-specific HPV serostatus and adjusted it for age and gender. Participants were classified as HPV-seropositive or HPV-seronegative.

Researchers found that cutaneous sensitivity to sunlight, particularly being sunburned (P=.006) and poor tanning ability after repeated exposures to sunlight (P=.003), was associated with a higher seroprevalence for genus-beta HPV types. Among patients with SCC, lack of tanning ability was more strongly associated with seropositivity for antibodies to cutaneous HPV types in genus alpha (OR=15.60; 95% CI, 5.40-45.1) and genus beta (OR=6.86; 95% CI, 3.68-12.80) compared with seronegative patients for alpha (OR=2.53; 95% CI, 1.43-4.46) and beta (OR=1.39; 95% CI, 0.59-3.31).

“Poor tanning ability was the only sun-related factor measured that demonstrated statistically significant multiplicative interactions with cutaneous HPV seropositivity and in SCC only,” the reseachers concluded. “Accumulating evidence suggests that cutaneous HPV may interact synergistically with UV radiation exposure in [nonmelanoma skin cancer] development. However, additional studies are needed, including those that measure infection with HPV types in multiple genera.”