Ricerc@Sapienza

According to ¿Global Cancer Statistics 2020¿, lung cancer is the first cause of cancer death worldwide. Tobacco has been recognized the main risk factor, together with environmental exposure. Nevertheless, it is well known that a sizeable subset (nearly 25%) of lung carcinomas develop among never-smokers. Thus indicating that factors other than cigarette smoking must exist among causative agents. Lung cancer occurs more commonly in non-smoking women then in non-smoking men, with a higher prevalence of EGFR mutation. Lung cancer among non-smokers presents different molecular characteristics from lung cancer in smoker patients, justifying a different possible aetiology. Among the different factors investigated (hormones, previous lung disease, dietary factors, genetic susceptibility), also a correlation with viral infection by Human Papilloma Virus was investigated. In fact, it appears that HPV chronic infection could be responsible for nearly a 5% of all human cancers. We would select a population of female patients affected by lung cancer (adenocarcinoma or squamocellular) and analyse HPV virus detection in the tissue. Patients would be tested with HPV-DNA Test (through cervix brushing) before surgery and then a PCR analysis would be made on operatory sample to detect HPV presence. The aim of the study is to confirm an aetiological role of HPV infection for lung cancer in childbearing age women. The second aim is to propose innovative treatments (based on therapeutic vaccines or immunomodulants agent) in addition to the traditional oncologic therapies.