Role of human papillomavirus in carcinogenesis

Since a decade ago, it has been observed that the incidence of cancers caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) has seen an uptick, making it a point of concern from the public health perspective. Numerous cancers, including oral and cervical cancers, have been linked to HPV. HPV is carcinogenic due to its ability to induce abnormal expression of several genes, including nuclear factor-kappa B, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, p16, p53, RB1 and some microRNA genes. Early cancer treatment involves identifying the up- or downregulation of various factors using techniques including polymerase chain reaction (PCR), reverse transcriptase PCR, p16 immunostaining and in situ hybridisation. The virus achieves its breakthrough by taking advantage of various types of cellular enzymes, enzymatic activities and their association or disassociation with other factors in order to up/downregulate enzyme levels. The methods used for screening and detection still need to have high sensitivity and high accuracy because the amount of factors showing change is remarkably minute. Vaccines can remarkably reduce the risk of HPV infection when administered as directed and in the recommended number of doses.