Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) has been shown to be a cause of Head \& Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) and the majority of current studies focus on what is happening in patients with a HPV HNSCC. But there is limited investigation into HPV infection in the oropharynx of patients who do not have HNSCC. The current incidence of oral HPV infection is not known in the general population locally and there is also limited information on what particular localities within the mouth that patients' harbour HPV infection what strains are present and if there are any differences in viral load. Therefore the aim of this project is to investigate within patients that undergo tonsillectomies the rate of HPV infection in tonsils to determine the amount of HPV present within the community.
Patients are having no additional invasive testing than is all ready being carried out for their care pertaining to their tonsillar tissue. Patients are routinely swabbed pre-operative for evidence of MRSA, this trial would add an extra swabbing procedure for the mouth. The ethical implications are related to the tissue which is being tested for a virus that can be implicated in head and neck squamous cancer. These patients would not normally be aware of HPV infection and this would raise an new health burden in these patient who are likely to be fit and well. The research team would be suitable to counsel patients from any worries related to HPV infection.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
300
HPV status and typing of tissue
Royal Derby Hospital
Derby, Derbyshire, United Kingdom
RECRUITINGRate of oral and tonsillar HPV infection in patients undergoing tonsillectomies and to investigate any links with lifestyle.
The aim of this project is to examine the rate of oral and tonsillar HPV infection in patients undergoing tonsillectomies and to investigate any links with lifestyle.
Time frame: over the 3 years of the study
Validation of a reproducible oral HPV screening method to detect HPV from saliva samples and also tonsillar tissue to investigate rates of oral HPV infection.
Validation of a reproducible oral HPV screening method to detect HPV from saliva samples and also tonsillar tissue to investigate rates of oral HPV infection. The investigators will be using quantitative PCR to detect the strains of HPV and the viral load.
Time frame: over the 3 years of the study
Quantification and typing via quantitative PCR of detectable HPV infection from saliva and tonsillar samples to investigate any differences between samples from the same patient and also different patients.
Quantification and typing of detectable HPV infection from saliva and tonsillar samples to investigate any differences between samples from the same patient and also different patients.
Time frame: over the 3 years of the study
Examination of viral load and also expression levels of the HPV viral oncogenes (E6 and E7) from infected tissue to investigate any differences in protein expression between different patients.
Examination of viral load and also expression levels of the HPV viral oncogenes, E6 and E7, from infected tissue to investigate any differences in protein expression between different patients.
Time frame: over the 3 years of the study
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