Breast cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers in women in France, but its aetiology remains unknown. Viruses including Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a human equivalent of murine mammary tumour virus (MMTV) and human papillomavirus (HPV) have been detected in benign breast tissues and breast tumours and are considered to be involved in the aetiology of breast cancer. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of high-risk oncogenic HPVs in breast carcinoma from French patients. Fifty unselected DNA samples extracted from invasive breast carcinoma tissues were analysed. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to amplify both consensus GP5+/GP6+HPV sequences and specific sequences for HPV types 16, 18, 33, 45 and 6-11. No HPV-DNA sequences were detected in our series of 50 samples. These data argue against the role of oncogenic HPV in the pathogenesis of breast cancer.