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. 2025 Mar-Apr;45(2):104-111.
doi: 10.5144/0256-4947.2025.104. Epub 2025 Apr 3.

Association between human herpesviruses and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: a molecular perspective

Merve Gürler  1 , Mustafa Kürsat Gōkcan  2 , Seher Yüksel  3 , Zeynep Ceren Karahan  1
Affiliations

Association between human herpesviruses and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: a molecular perspective

Merve Gürler et al. Ann Saudi Med. 2025 Mar-Apr.

Abstract

Background: Head and neck cancer (HNC) is the seventh most common malignant tumor. Herpesviruses are a significant risk factor in the multifactorial pathogenesis of HNC.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the association between herpesviruses and the development of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HN-SCC).

Design: Experimental study.

Setting: A university hospital in Turkey.

Patients and methods: Pathological archive tissue samples of 500 patients were included in the study. These samples were categorized into two groups: those diagnosed with HN-SCC (n=300, malignant group [MG]) and those diagnosed with benign head and neck lesions (n=200, benign group [BG]). The presence of herpesvirus in samples was detected using polymerase chain reaction.

Main outcome measures: Association of herpesviruses in the development of head and neck cancer.

Sample size: 500 patients.

Results: HHV-1, -2, -7, and -8 were not detected in any samples. In the malignant group (MG), EBV-DNA was detected in 1 patient (0.3%) and HHV-6 DNA in 2 patients (0.6%), while in the benign group (BG), VZV-DNA was detected in 1 patient (0.5%), EBV-DNA in 3 patients (1.5%), CMV-DNA in 5 patients (2.5%), and HHV-6 DNA in 3 patients (1.5%). While no significant difference was found between the groups for VZV, EBV, and HHV-6, a statistically significant difference was found in favor of the benign group for CMV.

Conclusion: Although herpesvirus seroprevalence is relatively high in the population, the lack of viral genome in tissue samples indicates that other factors might be prominent in developing HN-SCC.

Limitation: The storage conditions of the sample used (paraffinized sample) may have negatively affected the detection frequency of HHVs.

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Conflict of interest statement

CONFLICT OF INTEREST: None.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Agarose gel electrophoresis of PCR products with primer of the EBV DNA. Ultra GelRed Nucleic AcidStain (10000x) (GR501-01) (Vazyme, China) was used for staining agarose gel electrophoresis. M: Molecular size marker (Gene Ruler DNA Ladder, 50–500 bp, Thermo, Germany), NC: Negative control, 1–4: Patient isolates, PC: Positive control.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Agarose gel electrophoresis of PCR products with primer of the VZV DNA. Ultra GelRed Nucleic AcidStain (10000x) (GR501-01) (Vazyme, China) was used for staining agarose gel electrophoresis. M: Molecular size marker (Gene Ruler DNA Ladder, 50–500 bp, Thermo, Germany), NC: Negative control, 1: Patient isolates, PC: Positive control.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Agarose gel electrophoresis of PCR products with primer of the CMV DNA. Ultra GelRed Nucleic AcidStain (10000x) (GR501-01) (Vazyme, China) was used for staining agarose gel electrophoresis. M: Molecular size marker (Gene Ruler DNA Ladder, 50–500 bp, Thermo, Germany), NC: Negative control, 1–5: Patient isolates, PC: Positive control.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Agarose gel electrophoresis of PCR products with primer of the HHV-6 DNA. Ultra GelRed Nucleic AcidStain (10000x) (GR501-01) (Vazyme, China) was used for staining agarose gel electrophoresis. M: Molecular size marker (Gene Ruler DNA Ladder, 50–500 bp, Thermo, Germany), NC: Negative control, 1–5: Patient isolates, PC: Positive control.
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