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Chronic oral squamous cell papillomas, cutaneous warts resolved after HPV vaccination

A recently published case study and literature review found that cases of recurrent oral papillomas and recalcitrant warts showed clinical improvement after the first dose of quadrivalent HPV vaccine, with complete resolution at 6 to 8 months.

Researchers studied a healthy immunocompentent man in his 60s who presented with chronic verrucous papules of the lips, tongue and buccal mucosa refractory to multiple excisions. A biopsy performed on a lesion on the left buccal mucosa resulted in a diagnosis of squamous cell papilloma with HPV-32, which was revealed through DNA sequencing.

All lesions cleared after 3 months of receiving the quadrivalent HPV vaccine. Marked improvement of papillomas was observed within 4 weeks after receiving the first vaccine dose. The second and third doses were administered at 2 and 6 months, respectively. Complete resolution of all mucocutaneous papillomas was reported at 6 months follow-up. No recurrence of lesions was reported at 18 months.

The researchers also conducted a literature review and identified eight cases of verruca vulgaris resolution with HPV quadrivalent vaccine, in which improvement was observed within 4 weeks of vaccination and resolution occurred 3 to 8 months after treatment.

“Production of cross-protective immunoglobulins and cytoxic T cells is a possible mechanism,” the researchers concluded. “There remains a critical need for randomized clinical trials to access efficacy of quadrivalent HPV vaccination for treatment of oral squamous papillomas and cutaneous verruca vulgaris.” – By Bruce Thiel

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.