High-risk human papillomavirus and risk of colorectal cancer: a preliminary study in South of Iran.
5 affiliations
- 1Department of Virology, School of Medicine, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
- 2Department of Virology, School of Medicine, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran. [email protected].
- 3Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
- 4Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
- 5Department of Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
Abstract
Background
The incidence rate of colorectal cancer is on the rise in Iran. Although the precise etiology of colorectal cancer remains unknown, high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are suggested as potential contributors to the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer. Information on the prevalence of HPV infection among patients with colorectal cancer can affect targeted prevention and management strategies by improving region-specific screening strategies and HPV vaccination. Therefore, this study was designed to detect high-risk HPVs in colorectal cancer tissue specimens in the South of Iran.Methods
Colorectal biopsy samples from 147 patients with colorectal cancer and 144 non-cancerous patients with colorectal inflammation and polyps were tested for the detection of HPVs by nested PCR assay.Results
High-risk HPVs were detected in 2 samples of 128 colorectal cancer samples (1.56%, 95% CI: 0.48%-5.49%), while the non-cancerous colorectal samples were HPV negative. HPV-positive patients were identified in the age group ≥ 80 years (8.33%) and the age group 70-79 years (5.26%), while the age groups < 70 years did not show HPV positivity. The frequency of HPV infection was approximately equal in both genders (1.54% in males and 1.59% in females). HPV DNA was detected in 9.09% of patients resident in Ahram and 4.35% of patients resident in Khormoj, whereas the residents of Bushehr, Borazjan, Dayer, Genaveh, and Kangan were negative for HPV infection. The prevalence of HPV infection among patients with colorectal cancer was not statistically associated with age, gender, and place of residency. Although the patients with rectal adenocarcinoma (3.33%) showed a higher rate of HPV positivity compared to the patients with colon adenocarcinoma (1.02%), the frequency of HPV infection was not significantly associated with the anatomical location of colorectal cancer.Conclusions
This study, despite detecting HPVs in 1.56% of colorectal cancer biopsy specimens, cannot determine the possible association between HPV infection and colorectal carcinogenesis in the South of Iran. The causal relationship between HPV infection and colorectal cancer appears to be influenced by environmental and individual risk factors, the genetic backgrounds, as well as the regional epidemiology of HPV infection.
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BibTeX
@article{taherkhani2026highrisk,
title = {{High-risk human papillomavirus and risk of colorectal cancer: a preliminary study in South of Iran.}},
author = {Reza Taherkhani and Fatemeh Farshadpour and Elham Abshirini and Mohammad Reza Ravanbod and Azam Amini and Maria Zahiri},
journal = {BMC infectious diseases},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.1186/s12879-026-14160-2},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42972551},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - High-risk human papillomavirus and risk of colorectal cancer: a preliminary study in South of Iran.
AU - Reza Taherkhani
AU - Fatemeh Farshadpour
AU - Elham Abshirini
AU - Mohammad Reza Ravanbod
AU - Azam Amini
AU - Maria Zahiri
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/04
JO - BMC infectious diseases
DO - 10.1186/s12879-026-14160-2
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42972551
AB - Background The incidence rate of colorectal cancer is on the rise in Iran. Although the precise etiology of colorectal cancer remains unknown, high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are suggested as potential contributors to the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer. Information on the prevalence of HPV infection among patients with colorectal cancer can affect targeted prevention and management strategies by improving region-specific screening strategies and HPV vaccination. Therefore, this study was designed to detect high-risk HPVs in colorectal cancer tissue specimens in the South of Iran.Methods Colorectal biopsy samples from 147 patients with colorectal cancer and 144 non-cancerous patients with colorectal inflammation and polyps were tested for the detection of HPVs by nested PCR assay.Results High-risk HPVs were detected in 2 samples of 128 colorectal cancer samples (1.56%, 95% CI: 0.48%-5.49%), while the non-cancerous colorectal samples were HPV negative. HPV-positive patients were identified in the age group ≥ 80 years (8.33%) and the age group 70-79 years (5.26%), while the age groups < 70 years did not show HPV positivity. The frequency of HPV infection was approximately equal in both genders (1.54% in males and 1.59% in females). HPV DNA was detected in 9.09% of patients resident in Ahram and 4.35% of patients resident in Khormoj, whereas the residents of Bushehr, Borazjan, Dayer, Genaveh, and Kangan were negative for HPV infection. The prevalence of HPV infection among patients with colorectal cancer was not statistically associated with age, gender, and place of residency. Although the patients with rectal adenocarcinoma (3.33%) showed a higher rate of HPV positivity compared to the patients with colon adenocarcinoma (1.02%), the frequency of HPV infection was not significantly associated with the anatomical location of colorectal cancer.Conclusions This study, despite detecting HPVs in 1.56% of colorectal cancer biopsy specimens, cannot determine the possible association between HPV infection and colorectal carcinogenesis in the South of Iran. The causal relationship between HPV infection and colorectal cancer appears to be influenced by environmental and individual risk factors, the genetic backgrounds, as well as the regional epidemiology of HPV infection.
SN - 1471-2334
ER -