Detection of Human Papillomavirus Infection in Cases of Oral Carcinoma Using p16 Immunohistochemistry

Background and aim Oral cancer is a significant global health concern, with both high prevalence and mortality. In India, oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) represents a large proportion of malignancies. Major risk factors include the use of tobacco and alcohol. High-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection has also been recognized as contributing to the development of oral cancers. This study aims to identify HPV infection in oral carcinoma cases using p16 immunohistochemistry (IHC) and to examine its relationship with the histological grading of the tumors. Materials and methods A one-year cross-sectional study of N = 50 cases of OSCC was conducted, and histological grading was performed according to the modified Broder's grading system. All OSCC cases were evaluated for p16 expression. Cases showing p16 positivity and its association with histological grading were analyzed. A p-value of