RESUMO
OBJECTIVES: Maxillary sinus carcinoma is rare when compared with cancers of other sites, and its etiology remains unknown. Recent reports demonstrate the possible etiologic role of human papillomavirus (HPV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in maxillary sinus carcinoma. The aim of this study is to detect HPV and EBV in the maxillary sinus carcinoma and examine the relationship between HPV, EBV and maxillary sinus carcinoma. We also compared the clinical features of patients with HPV-positive and HPV-negative to determine the clinical significance of HPV. MATERIALS AND METHOD: The authors retrospectively searched for HPV and EBV in 40 cases of maxillary sinus carcinoma by using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on DNA extracted from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues. RESULTS: HPV was detected in 5 of the 40 cases (12.5%) of maxillary sinus carcinoma, whose histological type was all squamous cell carcinoma. EBV was not detected. Among the five HPV-positives, three were HPV subtype 16 and two were not determined. CONCLUSION: HPV may play a role in the pathogenesis of maxillary sinus carninoma, but EBV needs further study. However, the presence of HPV is not related to T-category, cervical metastases, or local recurrence.