Background
/Aims: Esophageal squamous papillorma is a rare benign lesion. This lesion is generally asymptomatic and solitary. Resent studies reveal the presence of human papil- lomavirus in certain cases of esophageal squamous papilloma, and human papillomavirus appears to be pathogenetically related to the esophageal squamous papilloma. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of human papillomavirus in esoplmgeal spuamous papilloma. Methods: In situ hybridizations and direct in situ polymerase chain reactions for human papillomavirus type 6/11 were performed on 16 paraffin embedded tissues with esophageal squamous papilloma. Results: Human papillomavirus type 6/11 was detected in 1 of 16 esophageal squamous papillomas on direct in situ polymerase chain reaction. All lesions were solitary, and 12 of 16 cases were located in distal one-third of the esophagus. Age range was 23-71 years (mean, 41 years). Conclusion: These results indicate that causal relation between human papillomavirus type 6/11 and esophageal squamous papilloma is inconspicuous. (Korean J Gastrointest Endosc 18: 805-810, 1998)