INTRODUCTION: HPV infection has been associated with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, genital tract and anal canal. HPV has two oncogenic genes, including E6 and E7, which are responsible for carcinogenesis. Ki67 and p16 have been used as biomarkers of HPV genome integration in the host cell. AIM: To analyse the prognostic role of HPV status and p16/Ki67 expression in malignant lesions of the anal canal. METHODS: A retrospective study conducted from 2013 to 2016, including 40 biopsies. RESULTS: Histologic classification of the samples was: 9 samples of invasive carcinoma (ASCC)
9 of anal intraepithelial neoplasia (AIN) II/III
8 condylomas
14 non-tumoral lesions. For HPV detection we used nested-real time PCR for E6/E7. The determination of p16INK4a and Ki67 was carried out by immunohistochemistry. Additionally, demographic information was analysed. Among the 9 ASCC cases, 8 were p16-Ki67 positive and high-risk HPV positive. Of the 9 AIN II/III cases, 8 (88.8%) were HR-HPV and p16-Ki67 positive
all cancer cases were HPV-16. Out of the 8 condyloma cases, 2 (25%) were HR/LR HPV, 5 (62.5%) were LR-HPV, and 100% p16/Ki67 negative. Of the 14 non-tumoral lesions, all biomarkers tested negative. DISCUSSION: High- and low-risk HPV genotyping helps predict the prognosis of anal canal lesions. High-risk HPV infection and p16 overexpression are associated with malignant tumoral lesions.