No Association between Antibodies to Sexually Transmitted Infections and Colorectal Hyperplastic Polyps in Men: Minnesota Cancer Prevention Research Unit Polyp Study

• Authors: Andrea N. Burnett-Hartman, University of Washington; Polly A. Newcomb, University of Washington; Stephen M. Schwartz, University of Washington; Roberd M Bostick, Emory University; Michael Pawlita, German Cancer Research Center; Tim Waterboer, German Cancer Research Center; John D. Potter, University of Washington
• Journal Title: Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention
• Volume: Volume 21, Number 9
• Publisher: American Association for Cancer Research | 2012-09-01, Pages 1599-1601
• Type of Work: Article | Post-print: After Peer Review
• Publisher DOI: http://doi.org/10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-12-0651
• Subjects: Biology, Virology; Health Sciences, Oncology; Biology, Microbiology
• Keywords: Science & Technology; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Oncology; Public, Environmental & Occupational Health; HUMAN-PAPILLOMAVIRUS; HPV; Colorectal hyperplastic polyps; Antibodies; Sexually transmitted infections

Abstract

Background: Oncogenic human papillomaviruses (HPV) are sexually transmitted and linked to several epithelial malignancies, but an association between HPV and colorectal neoplasia is not established. Previously, we reported a three-fold increase in the odds of colorectal hyperplastic polyps associated with oncogenic HPV seropositivity in men but detected no HPV DNA in colorectal tissues from these same men. Methods: To test the reproducibility of our prior HPV antibody results and to explore the hypothesis that colorectal hyperplastic polyps may be associated with sexual behavior in men, we conducted a case-control study of hyperplastic polyps and antibodies to eight oncogenic HPV types (including 16 and 18), Herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2), and hepatitis C virus (HCV). Study participants were men, ages 30-74 years, enrolled in the Minnesota Cancer Prevention Research Unit Polyp Study who had an index colonoscopy from 1991 to 1994, and received a diagnosis of hyperplastic polyps (n = 97) or were polyp-free (n = 184). Plasma was assessed for antibodies to the eight oncogenic HPV types, HSV-2, and HCV using a bead-based multiplex assay. Results: The adjusted ORs for the association between hyperplastic polyps and seropositivity to oncogenic HPV (all eight types combined) was 0.84 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.44-1.58; for HSV-2, OR, 0.98, 95% CI, 0.48-1.99; and for HCV, OR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.11-3.26]. Conclusions: Our study suggested no association between colorectal hyperplastic polyps and antibodies to specific sexually transmitted infections (STI) in men. Impact: Factors associated with STIs are unlikely to play a role in the etiology of colorectal hyperplastic polyps in men.