Human papillomavirus 16 as a risk factor for oral leukoplakia: A meta-analysis

PurposeInfection of human papillomavirus 16(HPV16) has been proven to be a significant risk factor for uterine cervical carcinoma. However, the role of HPV16 infections in oral leukoplakia is not well studied. To determine the role of this virus in the progressive development of oral leukoplakia, we estimated the risk of HPV16 detection in normal oral mucosa and in oral leukoplakia by meta-analysis.MethodsRelevant studies on both HPV16 infections and oral leukoplakia were identified. A random-effect model was used to calculate summary prevalence, odds ratios (ORs), and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs).ResultsIn this analysis, 398 oral leukoplakia cases and 322 controls from 9 studies were evaluated to estimate the association between infection of HPV16 and the risk of oral leukoplakia. Overall, the meta-analysis of the 9 studies showed a significant increase in oral leukoplakia risk with HPV16 infections (summary ORs: 3.59; 95% CIs: 2.77-5.57).ConclusionsThis meta-analysis suggests that HPV16 is a significant independent risk factor for oral leukoplakia, which might be valuable information for early prevention and treatment of these potential precancerous oral lesions.