The Link between Human Papillomavirus and Prostate Cancer; A Narrative Literature Review
Archives of Men's Health,
Vol. 8 No. 1 (2024),
31 July 2024
,
Page e12
https://doi.org/10.22037/amh.v8i1.48680
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa) remains a leading cause of cancer mortality in men globally. Age, genetic predisposition, and inflammation are the major risk factors. Increasing evidence suggests that oncogenic viruses, HPV types 16/18, could be involved in prostate carcinogenesis. This review critically examines the potential association between HPV infection and prostate cancer, including both molecular mechanisms and epidemiological evidence. We conducted a narrative literature review by systematically searching PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar for papers published from 2013 to 2025. We used search terms such as prostate cancer, HPV, oncogenic viruses, and viral carcinogenesis. We reviewed several peer-reviewed papers that involved molecular information, clinical documentation, and meta-analytic data. The evidence reports HPV DNA in 15-36% of PCa tissues, the most common being HPV-16/18. Mechanistically, HPV proteins (E6/E7) inactivate central tumor suppressors (p53, Rb), activate anti-apoptotic proteins (Bcl-2, survivin), and induce changes associated with cancer onset (through N-cadherin/TWIST), as observed in HPV-positive anogenital cancers. Genomic signatures reveal that HPV-positive PCa has characteristic patterns of mutation (e.g., KMT2C/D disruption). Nonetheless, heterogeneity across HPV detection assays and small sample sizes in a few studies call for cautious interpretation.
Today, we have data suggesting that HPV may cause PCa, possibly through inflammation (NF-κB) and unstable genes; however, the exact mechanism remains unclear. We require large trials in many centers and additional screens to determine the role of HPV in this. As we can prevent HPV, these findings suggest that HPV vaccines could be of critical importance in preventing PCa. We must find out more.
- Prostate cancer
- hpv
- human papiloma virus
- Viral carcinogenesis
- Oncogenic mechanisms
How to Cite
References
Rebello RJ, Oing C, Knudsen KE, Loeb S, Johnson DC, Reiter RE, et al. Prostate cancer. Nature Reviews Disease Primers. 2021;7(1):9.
Belkahla S, Nahvi I, Biswas S, Nahvi I, Ben Amor N. Advances and development of prostate cancer, treatment, and strategies: A systemic review. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology. 2022;10:991330.
de Martel C, Georges D, Bray F, Ferlay J, Clifford GM. Global burden of cancer attributable to infections in 2018: a worldwide incidence analysis. The Lancet global health. 2020;8(2):e180-e90.
Perdana NR, Mochtar CA, Umbas R, Hamid ARA. The risk factors of prostate cancer and its prevention: a literature review. Acta medica indonesiana. 2016;48(3):228-38.
Hatano Y, Ideta T, Hirata A, Hatano K, Tomita H, Okada H, et al. Virus-driven carcinogenesis. Cancers. 2021;13(11):2625.
Ghaffarzadeh A, Roshdi Maleki M, Rafighi D, Nikbakht Z, Taghinejad J. Genomic detection of HPV Genotypes 16 and 18 in Cervical Lesions in West Azerbaijan province. Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Cancer Research. 2024;10(2):121-6.
Satterwhite CL, Torrone E, Meites E, Dunne EF, Mahajan R, Ocfemia MCB, et al. Sexually transmitted infections among US women and men: prevalence and incidence estimates, 2008. Sexually transmitted diseases. 2013;40(3):187-93.
Ozaydin-Yavuz G, Bilgili S, Guducuoglu H, Yavuz I, Elibuyuk-Aksac S, Karadag A. Determinants of hgh-risk human papillomavirus infection in anogenital warts. Advances in Dermatology and Allergology/Postępy Dermatologii i Alergologii. 2019;36(1):76-81.
Patra S, Ghosal S, Shand H, Mondal R, Rath A, Jana SK, et al. Function of gamma delta (γδ) T cell in cancer with special emphasis on cervical cancer. Human Immunology. 2023;84(12):110724.
Dunne EF, Markowitz LE, Saraiya M, Stokley S, Middleman A, Unger ER, et al. CDC grand rounds: reducing the burden of HPV-associated cancer and disease. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2014;63(4):69-72.
Betz SJ. HPV-related papillary lesions of the oral mucosa: a review. Head and neck pathology. 2019;13(1):80-90.
Patra S, Shand H, Ghosal S, Ghorai S. HPV and male cancer: pathogenesis, prevention and impact. Journal of the Oman Medical Association. 2025;2(1):4.
Peterman TA, Newman DR, Maddox L, Schmitt K, Shiver S. Risk for HIV following a diagnosis of syphilis, gonorrhoea or chlamydia: 328,456 women in Florida, 2000–2011. International journal of STD & AIDS. 2015;26(2):113-9.
Kops NL, Bessel M, Horvath JDC, Domingues C, de Souza FMA, Benzaken AS, et al. Factors associated with HPV and other self-reported STI coinfections among sexually active Brazilian young adults: cross-sectional nationwide study. BMJ open. 2019;9(6):e027438.
Travé G, Zanier K. HPV-mediated inactivation of tumor suppressor p53. Cell Cycle. 2016;15(17):2231-2.
Albuquerque A, Cappello C, Stirrup O, Selinger CP. Anal high-risk human papillomavirus infection, squamous intraepithelial lesions, and anal cancer in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Crohn's and Colitis. 2023;17(8):1228-34.
Simpson Jr S, Blomfield P, Cornall A, Tabrizi SN, Blizzard L, Turner R. Front-to-back & dabbing wiping behaviour post-toilet associated with anal neoplasia & HR-HPV carriage in women with previous HPV-mediated gynaecological neoplasia. Cancer Epidemiology. 2016;42:124-32.
Clifford GM, Georges D, Shiels MS, Engels EA, Albuquerque A, Poynten IM, et al. A meta‐analysis of anal cancer incidence by risk group: toward a unified anal cancer risk scale. International journal of cancer. 2021;148(1):38-47.
Spiess PE, Dhillon J, Baumgarten AS, Johnstone PA, Giuliano AR. Pathophysiological basis of human papillomavirus in penile cancer: Key to prevention and delivery of more effective therapies. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. 2016;66(6):481-95.
Farahmand M, Monavari SH, Tavakoli A. Prevalence and genotype distribution of human papillomavirus infection in different anatomical sites among men who have sex with men: a systematic review and meta‐analysis. Reviews in medical virology. 2021;31(6):e2219.
El Hussein MT, Dhaliwal S. HPV vaccination for prevention of head and neck cancer among men. The Nurse Practitioner. 2023;48(10):25-32.
Marra E, Lin C, Clifford GM. Type-specific anal human papillomavirus prevalence among men, according to sexual preference and HIV status: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis. The Journal of infectious diseases. 2019;219(4):590-8.
Meites E. Use of a 2-dose schedule for human papillomavirus vaccination—updated recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. MMWR Morbidity and mortality weekly report. 2016;65.
Gutierrez-Xicotencatl L, Pedroza-Saavedra A, Chihu-Amparan L, Salazar-Piña A, Maldonado-Gama M, Esquivel-Guadarrama F. Cellular functions of HPV16 E5 oncoprotein during oncogenic transformation. Molecular Cancer Research. 2021;19(2):167-79.
Yin S-H, Chung S-D, Hung S-H, Liu T-C, Lin H-C. Association of prostate cancer with human papillomavirus infections: A case-control study. Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases. 2024;27(4):743-8.
Lawson JS, Glenn WK. Multiple pathogens and prostate cancer. Infectious agents and cancer. 2022;17(1):23.
Nahand JS, Esghaei M, Monavari SH, Moghoofei M, Kiani SJ, Mostafaei S, et al. The assessment of a possible link between HPV‐mediated inflammation, apoptosis, and angiogenesis in Prostate cancer. International Immunopharmacology. 2020;88:106913.
Zolfi E, Khaleghi Mehr F, Emtiazi N, Moradi Y. A review of the carcinogenic potential of human papillomavirus (HPV) in urological cancers. Virology Journal. 2025;22(1):53.
Fatemipour M, Nahand JS, Azar MEF, Baghi HB, Taghizadieh M, Sorayyayi S, et al. Human papillomavirus and prostate cancer: the role of viral expressed proteins in the inhibition of anoikis and induction of metastasis. Microbial pathogenesis. 2021;152:104576.
Khatami A, Nahand JS, Kiani SJ, Khoshmirsafa M, Moghoofei M, Khanaliha K, et al. Human papilloma virus (HPV) and prostate cancer (PCa): The potential role of HPV gene expression and selected cellular MiRNAs in PCa development. Microbial pathogenesis. 2022;166:105503.
Lang B, Cao C, Zhao X, Wang Y, Cao Y, Zhou X, et al. Genomic alterations related to HPV infection status in a cohort of Chinese prostate cancer patients. European Journal of Medical Research. 2023;28(1):239.
Ahmed MY, Salman NA, Sandhu S, Cakir MO, Seddon AM, Kuehne C, et al. Detection of high-risk Human Papillomavirus in prostate cancer from a UK based population. Scientific reports. 2023;13(1):7633.
Tsydenova IA, Ibragimova MK, Tsyganov MM, Litviakov NV. Human papillomavirus and prostate cancer: systematic review and meta-analysis. Scientific Reports. 2023;13(1):16597.
Opeyemi Bello R, Willis-Powell L, James O, Sharma A, Marsh E, Ellis L, et al. Does human papillomavirus play a causative role in prostate cancer? a systematic review using bradford hill’s criteria. Cancers. 2023;15(15):3897.
- Abstract Viewed: 169 times
- pdf Downloaded: 122 times