Genital human papillomavirus testing by in situ hybridization in liquid atypical cytologic materials and follow-up biopsies.
OBJECTIVE
To describe cases of HPV testing by DNA in situ hybridization performed on atypical cervicovaginal samples collected by a liquidsed method that were negative for HPV DNA on cytology but revealed cervical intraepithelial neoplasia on follow-up biopsies.


METHODS
Three hundred ninety-five consecutive SurePath atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) cytologic samples from asymptomatic, reproductive-age women were tested for human papillomaviruses (HPVs) by the in situ hybridization (ISH) method (Ventana Inform HPV Test, Tucson, Arizona, U.S.A). One hundred (25%) cases underwent follow-up colposcopic biopsy within 3 months of cytology. All the tests (cytology, ISH, histology) were independently evaluated without knowledge of the other tests.


RESULTS
One hundred twenty-two (33%) cytologic samples were positive for HPVs. Of a total of 100 (HPV positive and negative) follow-up biopsies, 55 were positive for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). Fourteen cases of biopsy-proven CIN tested negative for all HPV types in the prior cytologic samples. Retesting of the 14 CIN tissues by ISH was negative in 10, positive for HPV in 2 and inconclusive in 2.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a small but significant (14%) false negative rate with HPV testing by the Ventana ISH method. Clinically suspicious cases should be followed even if an HPV test is negative.
Bewtra
C
C
Department of Pathology, Creighton University Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68131, USA.
Xie
Q
Q
Soundararajan
S
S
Gatalica
Zoran
Z
Hatcher
Lori
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D008875:Middle Aged; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*
D004279:DNA, Viral