HUMAN PAPILLOMA VIRUS AND ORAL MUCOSA LESIONS: INCREASED POTENTIAL OF MALIGNANT DEGENERATION

A significant association between human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and carcinoma has been highlighted oral squamous cell disease and, albeit variably, potentially malignant lesions of the oral cavity, such as leukoplakia, erythroleukoplakia erythroplakia. This article aims to describe the main features of HPV and analyze its role in the development of cancer. While the role of HPV infection in the onset of the uterine cervix is now well established, few are information on the prevalence, determinants and natural history of oral mucosal infection, and other studies are needed to clarify the potential oncogenic role of HPV in the onset of oral cancer.