We examined the association between betapapillomavirus (betaPV) infection and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in organ transplant recipients. A total of 210 organ transplant recipients with... Show moreWe examined the association between betapapillomavirus (betaPV) infection and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in organ transplant recipients. A total of 210 organ transplant recipients with previous SCC and 394 controls without skin cancer were included. The presence of 25 betaPV types in plucked eyebrow hairs was determined using a human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA genotyping assay, and antibodies for the 15 most prevalent betaPV types were detected using multiplex serology. We used multivariate logistic regression models to estimate associations between various measures of betaPV infection and SCC. BetaPV DNA was highly prevalent (> 94%) with multiple types frequently detected in both groups. We found a significant association between SCC and the concordant detection of both antibodies and DNA for at least one betaPV type (adjusted OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.1;2.5). A borderline-significant association with SCC was found for HPV36 (adjusted OR 2.4; CI 1.0; 5.4), with similar associations for HPV5, HPV9 and HPV24. These data provide further evidence of an association between betaPV infection and SCC in Show less
Human papillomaviruses (betaPV) from the beta genus cannot be classified according to their oncogenicity due to a paucity of information. This study evaluates the association between betaPV... Show moreHuman papillomaviruses (betaPV) from the beta genus cannot be classified according to their oncogenicity due to a paucity of information. This study evaluates the association between betaPV infection and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in conjunction with measures of UV exposure and susceptibility. We performed case-control studies in the Netherlands, Italy, and Australia, countries with profoundly different UV exposures. The presence of 25 betaPV types in eyebrow hair follicles was determined using a highly sensitive HPV DNA genotyping assay, and antibodies for the 15 most prevalent betaPV types in a total of 689 squamous cell carcinoma cases and 845 controls were detected using multiplex serology. Multivariate logistic regression models were used for case-control comparisons and interaction analyses. BetaPV DNA was detected in eyebrow hairs of more than 90% of all participants. The presence of betaPV DNA was associated with an increased risk of squamous cell carcinoma in the Netherlands (OR 2.8; 95% CI 1.3-5.8) and Italy (OR 1.7; 95% CI 0.79-3.6), but not in Australia (OR 0.91; 95% CI 0.53-1.6). Seropositivity for betaPV in controls ranged between 52% and 67%. A positive antibody response against 4 or more betaPV types was associated with squamous cell carcinoma in Australia (OR 2.2; 95% CI 1.4-3.3), the Netherlands (OR 2.0; 95% CI 1.2-3.4) and fair-skinned Italians (OR 1.6, 95% CI 0.94-2.7). The association between UV susceptibility and squamous cell carcinoma was stronger in betaPV-seropositive people. These combined data support the hypothesis that betaPV may play a role in the development of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Cancer Res; 70(23); 9777-86. (C)2010 AACR. Show less
Background Several new therapeutic options for psoriasis have been tested in clinical trials in recent years. Choice of comparator, study duration and outcome measures are critical for interpreting... Show moreBackground Several new therapeutic options for psoriasis have been tested in clinical trials in recent years. Choice of comparator, study duration and outcome measures are critical for interpreting application of trial results to clinical practice. Objectives We examined whether these trial aspects have changed substantially in recent years in comparison with the past. Methods A systematic search and evaluation of all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for psoriasis published from January 2001 up to December 2006 in 14 leading medical and dermatological journals, compared with those published from 1977 to 2000. Results There were 140 RCTs of psoriasis in the period 2001-2006 and 249 in the period 1977-2000. The proportion of placebo-controlled studies increased from 44.6% to 69.3%. The median study duration increased from 7 weeks to 12 weeks. The proportion of studies adopting the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score as an outcome increased from 30.6% to 57.7%, while the number of studies incorporating a quality of life measure increased from only one (0.4%) to 12 studies (7.7%). The proportion of studies sponsored by pharmaceutical companies increased from 61.0% to 73.7%. Conclusions Despite the increased number of new options, the number of head-to-head comparative trials has decreased and most trials focus on short-term effects, probably reflecting the increased influence of industrial sponsorship on the research agenda. Show less
