Prevalence and genotype distribution of human papillomavirus (HPV) in penile cancer in Brazil

Objective: To estimate the prevalence and genotypic distribution of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) in penile cancer in Brazil. Methods: This is a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies published from 2000 to 2021, that investigated the prevalence and genotypic distribution of HPV in penile cancer in different geographical regions in Brazil, using molecular methods. The review was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO), conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Statement (PRISMA) and the quality of included studies was assessed by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal Checklist for Studies Reporting Prevalence Data. Results: 15 studies were included, comprising 1,250 cases. The combined prevalence of HPV in penile cancer was 52.0% and the highest prevalence was observed in the Northeast region (79%), followed by the North region (54%), Southeast (44%) and Central-West region (31%). HPV16 was the most prevalent genotype, followed by HPV6, HPV11, HPV18, HPV51, HPV59, HPV74, HPV31, HPV35 and HPV68. Final considerations: Our results confirm the association of HPV with penile cancer and highlight the presence of viral genotypes not covered by the tetravalent prophylactic vaccine distributed by the public health system in Brazil.