A meta‑analysis previously demonstrated that the prevalence of HPV in lung cancer is highly variable around the world, with higher HPV frequencies observed in East Asian countries compared with European countries (9). However, inadequate sample collection or handling errors leading to contamination may contribute to these variations (10). At the Kinki‑Chuo Chest Medical Center (Sakai, Osaka, Japan) only patients with lung diseases are treated, which is an advantage in the avoidance of clinical sample contamination. In the present study, a prospective registry investigation into the involvement of HPV in NSCLC in never‑smokers at the Kinki‑Chuo Chest Medical Center is reported.