Oral human papillomavirus infection in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected MSM: the OHMAR prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to assess incidence and clearance of oral human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and the respective risk factors in HIV-infected and uninfected men who have sex with men (MSM). METHODS: Oral rinse and gargles were collected semiannually from 244 MSM (103, 42.2% HIV-infected). HPV-DNA testing was performed with the Linear Array HPV Genotyping test. A Markov model was used for estimation of incidence, clearance and risk factor analysis. RESULTS: Incidence rates for any HPV were 21.2 and 15.0×1000 person-months in HIV-infected and uninfected MSM, respectively. The respective figures for high-risk HPVs were 10.7 and 6.5×1000 person-months. The clearance rate was 4-12 times higher than the respective incidence rate. HIV-infected MSM with >95 lifetime oral sex partners showed increased incidence of any HPV (adjusted HR, aHR: 8.46, 95% CI 1.89 to 37.92). Condomless oral sex appeared the strongest predictor for incident infection by high-risk HPVs in this group (aHR: 13.40, 95% CI 2.55 to 70.53). Those aged >46 years (aHR: 0.30, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.74) and those with nadir CD4+ T count of <200 cells/mm3 (aHR: 0.14, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.75) displayed a significantly reduced clearance of any and high-risk HPVs, respectively. HIV-uninfected MSM aged >46 years had increased risk of acquiring any HPV (aHR: 3.70, 95% CI 1.30 to 10.52) and high-risk HPV (aHR: 5.33, 95% CI 1.06 to 26.68). Any HPV clearance declined in those with more than six recent oral sex partners (aHR: 0.18, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.65). CONCLUSIONS: Acquisition of oral HPV infection in MSM seems to occur rarely, whereas clearance seems to be a frequent event. Oral HPV natural history in these at-risk subjects is differently influenced by age and sex behaviour, depending on HIV status.

Surgeons reaching satisfying outcomes without surgery: nasal dorsum skin cancer recurrence treated with electrochemotherapy.

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck district are generally treated with surgery. Surgery is the standard treatment in early stages and local advanced tumors, followed by adjuvant therapy, radiation or concurrent chemoradiation therapy. Local recurrence treatment depends on previous therapies, though radical surgery is often the first choice at the expense of anatomy preservation. We present the case of a patient with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the nasal dorsum which relapsed after surgery and radiation therapy. The patient refused radical surgery and electrochemotherapy under general anesthesia was administered. After 6 months from treatment, the patient showed a complete clinical response. Electrochemotherapy could be considered as an alternative to surgery in small lesion when other approaches are refused.

Myxoid Liposarcoma Metastasizing to the Parotid Gland.

Localization of metastases into the parotid gland is a very uncommon event. Usually they arise from primary tumors located in the head and neck, mainly melanoma or epidermoid carcinoma of the skin, while other histotypes, from others anatomical districts, hardly have a metastatic spread to the parotid. Myxoid liposarcoma (MLS) is a rare malignant tumor of the soft tissue that mainly occurs in the extremities, representing the second most common subtype of liposarcoma. Although it is typical for liposarcomas to metastasize to the lungs, it is known that MLS can spread also to extra pulmonary sites. The authors report a case of myxoid liposarcoma of the left thigh in a 64-year-old man, with an unusual metastatic double presentation to the contralateral forearm first and to the parotid gland then. MLS with metastatic disease to the parotid gland is an extremely rare event with very few cases reported in the English literature.

Transoral Robotic Surgery in the Management of a Tongue Base Schwannoma.

Schwannomas are the most common benign tumors arising from the peripheral nerve sheath, and the intraoral location is very atypical, representing less than 1% of all cases. Surgical excision is the treatment of choice, and a variety of surgical approaches have been described. The authors report the first described case of tongue base schwannoma treated with transoral robotic surgery (TORS). A 47-years-old female patient complaining mild dysphagia and snoring, presented a submucosal swelling at the right side of the tongue base. MRI showed a large well-circumscribed solid mass, homogeneously isointense in T1WI and hyperintense on T2WI, with no lymph node metastasis. According to size, location and radiological characteristic of the mass a TORS approach was chosen. An extracapsular dissection was performed, and the lesion was completely removed with no intraoperative complications. The final diagnosis based on histopathological examination and IHC analysis (S-100 positive) was a schwannoma of the tongue base. The post-operative course was uneventful, and no recurrence was observed after 6 months of follow-up. This study demonstrates the feasibility of TORS in the treatment of a tongue base schwannoma. This is a valid alternative to the common transoral approach in order to avoid more invasive external approaches, and further studies are recommended in order to clarify if this approach could be proposed as the first line treatment in selected cases.

Oral testing for high-risk human papillomavirus DNA and E6/E7 messenger RNA in healthy individuals at risk for oral infection.

BACKGROUND: Testing for oral high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA may be useful for identifying individuals at increased risk for HPV-driven oropharyngeal cancer (OPC). However, positivity for HPV DNA provides no information on the transforming potential of the infection. In contrast, the detection of high-risk HPV E6/E7 messenger RNA (mRNA) may help to identify clinically significant infections because of the indispensable role of E6/E7 viral oncoproteins in the carcinogenic process. METHODS: Oral rinses were collected with a mouthwash from cancer-free individuals at increased risk for oral HPV infection. High-risk HPV DNA and mRNA were evaluated via the testing of the oral rinses with the Linear Array HPV genotyping test and the Aptima HPV assay, respectively. RESULTS: Overall, 310 subjects with no clinical evidence of lesions of the oral cavity and oropharynx were included in the study. Thirty-three (10.6%) harbored high-risk HPV DNA in their oral rinse. These cases, together with 10 random samples negative for high-risk HPV DNA, were tested with the Aptima assay. A valid result was obtained for 41 of the 43 specimens (95.3%). Among the 31 cases that were positive for high-risk HPV DNA and had a valid Aptima result, 4 (12.9%) were positive for HPV mRNA. HPV mRNA was not detected in any of the samples negative for high-risk HPV DNA. CONCLUSIONS: HPV mRNA is detectable in oral rinses of cancer-free subjects. Oral HPV mRNA testing may be useful in the screening and/or early detection of HPV-driven OPC by possibly identifying active and transforming oral infections. The testing of individuals at increased risk for HPV-related OPC via simply and noninvasively collected oral specimens is an attractive option for future screening strategies.

Feasibility study of reduced field of view diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in head and neck tumors.

Background Reduced field of view (rFOV) imaging may be used to improve the quality of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in the head and neck (HN) region. Purpose To evaluate the feasibility of rFOV-DWI in patients affected by HN tumors, through a comparison with conventional full FOV (fFOV) DWI. Material and Methods Twenty-two patients with histologically-proven malignant or benign tumors of the head and neck were included in a retrospective study. All patients underwent pre-treatment magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies including rFOV-DWI and fFOV-DWI. The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value distributions inside tumor and muscle were derived and the mean, standard deviation (SD), and kurtosis were calculated. Image distortion was quantitatively and qualitatively evaluated, as well as the capability of lesion identification. The Wilcoxon test was used to compare all variables. Agreements between the ADC estimations were assessed by Bland-Altman plots. Results Image distortion and lesion identification scores were both higher for rFOV-DWI compared to fFOV-DWI. A reduction in ADC values with rFOV-DWI emerged for both lesion and muscle, with a mean percentage difference in ADC of 6.2% in the lesions and 24.9% in the muscle. The difference in SD of ADC was statistically significant in the lesions, indicating a higher ADC homogeneity for rFOV DWI ( P = 0.005). Conclusion The application of rFOV DWI in patients affected by HN tumors is feasible and promising, based on both qualitative and quantitative analyses. This technique has potential for improving the diagnostic accuracy of fFOV-DWI for the study of specific tumoral areas.

Cytology and human papillomavirus testing on cytobrushing samples from patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The increasing incidence of human papillomavirus (HPV)-related head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) highlights the need for simple and effective tools to evaluate head and neck lesions and their HPV status. The main objective of the current study was to investigate the association between abnormal cytology and HPV infection, assessed on cytobrushing samples, and histologically confirmed HNSCC. Second, the authors attempted to investigate whether HPV status on cytobrushing samples reflected that of the tumoral tissue. METHODS: A total of 164 samples from HNSCC, nonmalignant lesions, or healthy mucosae of the oral cavity and oropharynx were collected by cytobrushing in PreservCyt solution and evaluated by liquid-based cytology and Linear Array HPV genotyping test. All the findings from the cytologic samples were compared with those from the corresponding histologic samples. RESULTS: Patients with abnormal cytology had a significantly higher risk of having an HNSCC (odds ratio [OR], 9.18; 95% confidence inteval [95% CI], 3.27-26.49). The association was stronger for oral cancer (OR, 10.86; 95% CI, 2.51-51.06) than oropharyngeal cancer (OR, 8.45; 95% CI, 1.62-49.82). HPV positivity in the oropharyngeal cytobrushing was associated with a nearly 5-fold higher risk of having abnormal cytology (OR, 4.57; 95% CI, 1.57-13.57) as well as histologically proven oropharyngeal cancer (OR, 5.09; 95% CI, 1.09-31.61). Comparing the HPV status on cytologic and corresponding histologic samples from patients with HNSCC, we found that 90.4% of the cases were concordant (kappa, 0.796). CONCLUSIONS: Abnormal brushing cytology is strongly associated with a diagnosis of HNSCC, whereas HPV positivity on cytobrushing samples is only associated with oropharyngeal cancer. HPV testing on cytobrushing samples represents a valid option for the assessment of HPV infection in patients with oropharyngeal cancer.

Circulating tumor HPV DNA in the management of HPV+ oropharyngeal cancer and its correlation with MRI.

BACKGROUND: First aim was to compare ddPCR assays of ctHPVDNA with p16 IHC and qualitative HPV PCR. Second aim was to carry out longitudinal blood sampling to test for association of ctHPVDNA with histological confirmed recurrence. Third aim was to perform a multidimensional assessment which included: (1) clinical features; (2) ctHPVDNA; (3) MRI-based tumor size measurements of primary tumor (PT) and cervical lymph node metastases (CLNM). METHODS: Plasma samples were collected before treatment and during follow-up, and ddPCR assay comprising E6 of HPV16 and HPV 33 and HPV 35 was used. RESULTS: Present study was conducted at diagnosis in 117 patients and revealed a ctHPVDNA sensitivity of 100% (95% CI 95.5-100) and a specificity of 94.4 (95% CI 81.3-99.3), positive predictive value (PPV) of 94.4 (95% CI 81.3-99.3), and negative predictive value (NPP) of 100% (95% CI 89.7-100). During follow-up ctHPVDNA had a sensitivity of 100% (95% CI 72.1-100)% and specificity of 98.4% (95% CI 91.7-100)%, PPV% of 90.9% (95% CI 62.3-98.4) and NPV% of 100% (95% CI 94.3-100) for ability to detect recurrence. Correlation between both the CLNM volume and the sum of PT and CLNM volume was observed. CONCLUSIONS: ctHPVDNA was superior to p16 in identification of HPV-OPSCC at diagnosis. Introduction of ctHPVDNA, beyond diagnostic setting, represents a great opportunity to improve follow-up protocol of OPSCC patients.

Treatment of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma: Is swallowing quality better after TORS or RT?

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To answer an important question regarding the long-term morbidity of two oncological equivalent treatment for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC), namely a comparison of swallowing function results between patients treated with trans-oral robotic surgery (TORS) versus patients treated with radiotherapy (RT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Studies included patients with OPSCC treated with TORS or RT. Articles reporting complete data on MD Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI) and comparing the two treatments (TORS vs RT) were included in the meta-analysis. Swallowing assessed with MDADI was the primary outcome, the evaluation with instrumental methods was the secondary aim. RESULTS: Included studies provided a total of 196 OPSCC primarily treated with TORS vs 283 OPSCC primarily treated with RT. The mean difference in MDADI score at the longest follow-up was not significantly different between TORS and RT group (mean difference [MD] -0.52; 95% CI -4.53-3.48; p = 0.80). After treatment, mean composite MDADI scores demonstrated a slight impairment in both groups without reaching a statistical difference compared to the baseline status. DIGEST score and Yale score showed a significantly worse function in both treatment groups at 12-month follow-up compared to baseline status. CONCLUSION: The meta-analysis demonstrates that up-front TORS (+- adjuvant therapy) and up-front RT (+- CT) appear to be equivalent treatments in functional outcomes in T1-T2, N0-2 OPSCC, however, both treatments cause impaired swallowing ability. Clinicians should have a holistic approach and work with patients to develop an individualized nutrition plan and swallowing rehabilitation protocol from diagnosis to post-treatment surveillance.

Machine learning in laryngeal cancer: A pilot study to predict oncological outcomes and the role of adverse features.

BACKGROUND: Laryngeal carcinoma (LC) remains a significant economic and emotional problem to the healthcare system and severe social morbidity. New tools as Machine Learning could allow clinicians to develop accurate and reproducible treatments. METHODS: This study aims to evaluate the performance of a ML-algorithm in predicting 1- and 3-year overall survival (OS) in a cohort of patients surgical treated for LC. Moreover, the impact of different adverse features on prognosis will be investigated. Data was collected on oncological FU of 132 patients. A retrospective review was performed to create a dataset of 23 variables for each patient. RESULTS: The decision-tree algorithm is highly effective in predicting the prognosis, with a 95% accuracy in predicting the 1-year survival and 82.5% in 3-year survival; The measured AUC area is 0.886 at 1-year Test and 0.871 at 3-years Test. The measured AUC area is 0.917 at 1-year Training set and 0.964 at 3-years Training set. Factors that affected 1yOS are: LNR, type of surgery, and subsite. The most significant variables at 3yOS are: number of metastasis, perineural invasion and Grading. CONCLUSIONS: The integration of ML in medical practices could revolutionize our approach on cancer pathology.

Second primary carcinoma arising on a flap: a new primary or a relapse?

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Free flaps or pedicle flaps are the mainstay of cancer surgery in the head and neck area. However, their long-term sequelae are still poorly understood. Among these, the development of a secondary primary tumor on a flap is a rare and uncertain reported event.   Methods: A computer-aided systematic literature search was performed by using the PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane Library databases. A systematic review of the literature, following the PRISMA checklist, was carried out with the aim of analyzing all the citations reporting this second primary, with attention to risk factors, behavior, etiological causes.   Results: Overall, 27 cases of second primary squamous cell carcinoma arising on a pedicle or free flap were identified. In addition, other three cases were discussed.   Conclusions: Persistent exposure to oral stimuli such saliva, oral microbiome, smoke or a colonization by the adjacent mucosa were considered as a possible cause of second primary carcinoma. Although rare, a new neoplasm onset should know and considered as a new concept in the follow-up of patients undergoing reconstruction with free or pedicle flaps.

Trans oral robotic surgery for oropharyngeal cancer: A multi institutional experience.

OBJECTIVES: Trans Oral Robotic Surgery (TORS) has proved to be a safe and feasible treatment for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). The aim of this study is to analyse oncological outcomes of OPSCC patients treated with TORS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study involved 139 patients with OPSCC, treated with TORS between 2008 and 2020. Clinicopathological characteristics, treatment details and oncological outcomes were evaluated retrospectively. RESULTS: The management strategies included TORS alone in 42.5%, TORS-RT in 25.2% and TORS-CRT in 30.9%. The ENE was noted in 28.8% of neck dissections. In 19 patients clinically classified as unknown primaries, the primary was found in 73.7%. Rates of local, regional relapses and distant metastasis were 8.6%, 7.2%, and 6.5%, respectively. The 5 year- Overall Survival and Disease Free Survival were 69.6% and 71.3%, respectively. CONCLUSION: TORS fits well in the modern management of OPSCC. Although definitive CRT remains a milestone, TORS is proving to be a valid and safe treatment option. The choice of the therapeutic strategy requires evaluation by a multidisciplinary team.

An unusual approach for a cervical mass: sternotomy for the treatment of a giant cervico-thoracic lipoma.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Lipoma is a benign mesenchymal tumor. It is a very common tumor and in 13% of cases occurs in head and neck. Giant lipomas are extraordinary and cervical involvement with mediastinal extension is an exceedingly rare presentation. Only a few cases of thoracic extension are reported in literature. METHODS: We describe the case of a 62-years-old man with a giant cervico-mediastinic lipoma which required a combined approach through cervicotomy and sternotomy to ensure surgical radicality. Differential diagnoses could be thymolipoma, liposarcoma or familiar lipomatosis. RESULTS: The mass was removed en-bloc with thymus and locoregional lymph nodes. The patient recovered uneventfully. CONCLUSIONS: The aim of this report is to discuss potential pitfalls of differential diagnosis and implementation of the therapeutic treatment. Focus on the relevance of performing fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for MDM2 amplification is reported, a necessary technique for the differential diagnosis. (www.actabiomedica.it).

The T-shaped FST pharyngoplasty step-by-step closure technique.

Pharyngocutaneous fistula is one of the most common and serious complications associated with total laryngectomy. Numerous studies tried to evaluate causative and predisposing factors associated with this complication, but data are considerably variable and there is still no international consensus. Incidence rate varies considerably between studies, with reported rates from 3% to 65%. This 4K video presents our T-shaped four-step technique (FST) for closing the pharyngeal mucosa after total laryngectomy in a step-by-step manner. All sutures were performed by braided absorbable 3/0 26 mm 1/2c (Vicryl plus 3.0; Ethicon, Somerville, NJ, USA). Recordings were performed using a Karl Storz 4K 3D VITOM® exoscope (Karl Storz SE & Co. KG, Tuttlingen, Germany). We have been described this technique through a high-definition video, showing each step, and tips from the authors. Our T-shaped pharyngoplasty closure technique can be divided into four steps: 1. "Key Stitches"; 2. "Area Refinement Stitches"; 3. "Modified Connell Suture"; 4. "Modified Purse String Suture." Our T-shaped FST closure technique proved to be an effective and reproducible method, which we feel could be the preferred choice for primary pharyngoplasty closure.

Microenvironmental Factors in Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma Undergoing Surgery: Correlation with Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging and Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI.

BACKGROUND: In this prospective study, we hypothesized that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may represent not only the tumor but also the microenvironment, reflecting the heterogeneity and microstructural complexity of neoplasms. We investigated the correlation between both diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) and dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE)-MRI with the pathological factors in oral cavity squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs). METHODS: A total of 37 patients with newly diagnosed OSCCs underwent an MR examination on a 3T system. The diffusion coefficient (D), the kurtosis parameter (K), the transfer constants Ktrans and Kep and the volume of extravascular extracellular space ve were quantified. A histogram-based approach was proposed to investigate the associations between the imaging and the pathological factors based on the histology and immunochemistry. RESULTS: Significant differences in the DCE-MRI and DKI parameters were found in relation to the inflammatory infiltrate, tumor grading, keratinization and desmoplastic reaction. Relevant relationships emerged between tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and DKI, with lower D and higher K values being associated with increased TILs. CONCLUSION: Although a further investigation is needed, these findings provide a more comprehensive biological characterization of OSCCs and may contribute to a better understanding of DKI-derived parameters, whose biophysical meaning is still not well-defined.

Cell-Free Human Papillomavirus-DNA for Monitoring Treatment Response of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: The aim of this study was to assess the value of cell-free human papillomavirus-DNA (cfHPV-DNA) as a diagnostic test for the post-treatment surveillance of patients with HPV-positive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) through a systematic review and meta-analysis. STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: A literature search was conducted in three databases (MEDLINE, Embase, and Scopus) in January 2021. The population included patients with HPV-positive HNSCC. The intervention was the use of the repeated liquid biopsy with circulating HPV-DNA detection during follow-up. The outcome was to establish the value of cfHPV-DNA as a diagnostic test for the post-treatment surveillance of patients with HPV-positive HNSCC. RESULTS: Ten studies included in the meta-analysis provided a total of 457 patients with HPV-positive HNSCC. The meta-analytic study estimated the diagnostic performance of cfHPV-DNA as follows: pooled sensitivity and specificity of 0.65 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.40-0.84) and 0.99 (99% CI: 0.96-0.99), respectively; positive and negative likelihood ratios of 62.5 (99% CI: 22.9-170.2) and 0.05 (99% CI: 0.013-0.24), respectively; and pooled diagnostic odds ratio of 371.66 (99% CI: 60.4-2286.7). CONCLUSION: Currently, the follow-up protocol for HNSCC patients includes routine clinical evaluation and radiological imaging. Biomarkers to monitor this disease are not established. Considering its high specificity, cfHPV-DNA represents a potential confirmatory test in the case of positive positron emission tomography and computed tomography. In the near future, cfHPV-DNA could be used as a biomarker for monitoring the treatment response during the clinical trials of de-escalation therapy or immunotherapy. Larger sample sizes and the homologation of study protocols and methodology are needed to better establish its utility in the clinical practice. Laryngoscope, 132:560-568, 2022.

Cricoid-based extramedullary plasmocytoma.

Extramedullary plasmocytomas are solitary, vascular, soft tissue plasma cell tumors without evidence of multiple myeloma (MM) that represent approximately 1% of head and neck malignancies. Approximately one third of them disseminate to MM within 2 years from presentation. Extramedullary plasmocytomas have been reported to involve larynx in 6% to 18% of cases, most commonly affecting the epiglottis and the ventricle, followed in order by the true vocal cord, false vocal cord, aryepiglottic fold, arytenoids, and subglottis. In this report, we describe a case of plasmocytoma involving the cricoid, the left cricoaritenoid joint, and the homolateral vocal process that developed MM 1 year after primary treatment.

Long-standing postsurgical lower cranial nerve palsy mimicking a pharyngolaryngeal submucosal mass in an elderly patient.

Changes that occur as a natural part of senescence in the complex action of deglutition predispose to dysphagia and aspiration. This dysfunction is worsened in patients with preexisting anatomic or functional alteration such as in case of a postsurgical lower cranial nerve palsy. We present the case of a 72-year-old woman who underwent surgical resection of a right jugulotympanic tumor 33 years ago, resulting in lower cranial nerve palsy, and came to our attention referring a 4 months' history of progressive dysphagia in which a pharyngolaryngeal submucosal mass was suspected.

Pectoralis major myocutaneous flap for hypopharyngeal reconstruction: long-term results.

Surgical treatment of hypopharyngeal cancer is indicated in advanced stages and recurrent/persistent disease after conservative regimens. As of today, no criterion standard treatment is applicable to all cases. Comparing functional results, complication rates and feasibility of different techniques proposed (free flaps, gastric pull-up, etc), and poor outcome in disease-free survival and in overall survival are more related to the tumor stage rather than the reconstruction technique. The authors discuss reconstructive surgery performed in 52 patients using a pectoralis major myocutaneous flap, according to a technique proposed by Spriano et al in 2001, after total circular partial/total hypopharyngectomy and total laryngectomy from January 1993 to 2008. Primary surgical treatment was performed in 38 patients. Surgery after radiotherapy/chemotherapy failure was performed in 8 patients. Surgery after chemotherapy was performed in 6 patients. Postoperative radiation treatment was administered in 35 patients. Two patients did not receive complementary radiotherapy: 1 patient died perioperatively and 1 had previous radiation treatment in 2002 for oropharyngeal cancer. Follow-up period ranged from a minimum of 7 months to a maximum of 15 years. Overall survival was 19.6%. To date, disease-free survival is 9 (17.3%) of 52 patients. Long-term follow-up shows that late complications are low or absent. For this reason, we consider this procedure to be time-sparing and safe, especially in this category of patients commonly affected by malnutrition and other long-term diseases.

Concurrent and Concordant Anal and Oral Human PapillomaVirus Infections Are Not Associated with Sexual Behavior in At-Risk Males.

Men who have sex with men (MSM) harbor the highest prevalence of anal and oral Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection, particularly if HIV-infected. We investigated anal and oral HPV infections in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected MSM, to assess concurrent (HPV detected at both sites, irrespective of the genotypes), and concordant infections (same genotype[s] detected at both sites). Matched anal and oral samples from 161 MSM (85 HIV-infected, and 76 HIV-uninfected) were tested with the Linear Array. Determinants of concurrent and concordant infections were evaluated using logistic regression. Anal infections were 4 to 7 times more frequent than oral infections in both study groups (p < 0.0001). Concurrent infections were not significantly different in HIV-infected (25.9%) and HIV-uninfected MSM (17.1%), p = 0.18. A concordant infection was found in 15 MSM (9.3%). Concordance was for one genotype in 14 individuals and for four genotypes in the remaining subject. In the overall population, only age was independently associated with a concurrent infection (AOR = 3.10, 95% CI: 1.34-7.19 for >39 vs. ≤39 years). None of the parameters of sexual behavior showed independent association with concordant infections. Among MSM, concordant anal and oral HPV infections do not seem to be explained by sexual behavior, but might derive from sequential acquisition by autoinoculation.