A reassessment of carcinogenic relationships

The public perception of the human papillomavirus (HPV) is that it is a “women’s virus”, primarily associated with cervical cancer. In vaccination campaigns, prevention plans and sex education in schools, HPV mainly appears in a gynecological context. However, HPV is a ubiquitous, sexually transmitted infection with proven oncogenic potency – not only in the cervix, but also in numerous urological tissues. Particularly in a discipline such as uro-oncology, where the molecular approach to tumor biology is becoming increasingly important, the question arises: How relevant is HPV really for urological carcinomas?