title: Telomerase assay and HPV 16/18 typing as adjunct to conventional cytological cervical cancer screening.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims at exploring the potential use of telomerase activity assay and typing of human papillomaviruses (HPV) 16 and 18 in improving the identification of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN).
  
  
  METHODS
  From 86 women with normal cervical smears and from 114 patients with abnormal cervical smears cervical scrapings were collected. The telomerase activity was assayed using the Telomerase Repeat Amplification Protocol, and HPV was detected using consensus primers and specific primers for HPV 16 and HPV 18.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HPV 16 in cervical scrapes was significantly associated with high-grade squamous epithelial lesions on cytology and with high-grade CIN, i.e., CIN 2/3 on biopsy. The detection of HPV 18 or telomerase activity had no significant association with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions or high-grade CIN.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of the telomerase activity assay in cervical scrapes, unlike HPV 16 typing, did not improve the detection of high-grade CIN.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen Mary Hospital, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. hysngan@hkucc.hku.hk
authors.forename: Hextan Y S
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Ngan
authors.forename: Annie N Y
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: Stephanie S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ka-Lai
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Sai-Wah
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Tsao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000821:virology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000821:virology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D019098:Telomerase / Q000032:analysis*; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D002575:Uterine Cervicitis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D014626:Vaginal Smears
chemical_list: D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D019098:Telomerase