Certain types of human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are undoubtedly involved in genesis of human
malignancies. HPV plays an etiological role in
cervical cancer, but also in many vaginal, vulvar, anal and
penile cancers, as well as head and
neck cancers. In addition, a number of non-malignant diseases such as
genital warts and
recurrent respiratory papillomatosis are attributable to HPV. Moreover, HPV forms have detected in several other
cancers including
esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, lung, prostate, ovarian, breast, skin, colorectal and
urinary tract cancers, but associations with etiology in these cases is controversial. The aim of this systematic assessment was to estimate the prevalence of
HPV infection and HPV types in HPV-associated
cancers, HPV-related non-malignant diseases and in
cancers that may be associated with HPV in Iran. The present investigation covered 61 studies on a variety of
cancers in Iranian populations. HPV prevalence was 77.5 % and 32.4% in
cervical cancer and head and
neck cancers, respectively. HPV was detected in 23.1%, 22.2%, 10.4%, 30.9%, 14% and 25.2% of esophageal squamous cell, lung, prostate,
urinary tract cancers, breast and
skin cancers, respectively. HPV16 and 18 were the most frequent HPV types in all
cancers. The findings of present study imply that current
HPV vaccines for
cervical cancer may decrease the burden of other
cancers if they are really related to HPV.