Differences in human papillomavirus type may influence clinical outcome in early stage cervical cancer.
BACKGROUND
The presence of human papillomavirus (HPV), the HPV type and viral load in early stage cervical carcinoma were investigated in order to elucidate whether any of these factors were important for clinical outcome.


METHODS
Twelve patients who were disease-free 5 years after diagnosis were matched and compared with 12 patients who died within 2 years. The presence of HPV, HPV type and viral load in their tumours was examined by PCR.


RESULTS
The distribution and load of HPV was similar in the 2 patient groups. HPV-16 was, however, significantly more common in tumours of the surviving patients than in those of patients who died (88.9% and 18.2%, respectively, p = 0.0152).


CONCLUSIONS
HPV-16 was significantly more common in early stage carcinomas of patients surviving more than 5 years in comparison to early stage carcinomas of patients with a poor prognosis.
Dahlgren
Liselotte
L
Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, CancerCentrumKarolinska, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, 171 76 Stockholm, Sweden. Liselotte.Dahlgren@ki.se
Erlandsson
Fredrik
F
Lindquist
David
D
Silfverswärd
Claes
C
Hellström
Ann-Cathrin
AC
Dalianis
Tina
T
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D052162:Human papillomavirus 16 / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D052161:Human papillomavirus 18 / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D019562:Viral Load