title: An analysis of human papillomavirus testing and endocervical component on pap tests: A pilot study using the Roche Cobas(®) assay.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  HPV is known to have a predilection for infecting the transformation zone (TZ). Endocervical cells (EC) on a Pap test (PT) indicate that the cervical TZ has been sampled. Earlier repeat testing of women lacking EC is of little value in further detecting disease, thus a sample without EC is not necessarily inadequate. Both HPV testing and PT can be performed using a single sample; however, few studies have investigated the relationship between HPV results and TZ sampling.
  
  
  METHODS
  Specimens were collected following the ThinPrep(®) liquid-based PT protocol. The Roche Cobas(®) HPV test was performed on post-aliquot samples. Data was collected retrospectively on 500 patients: 250 consecutive cases of EC- and 250 of EC+ on PT. To maintain uniformity, we included only cases diagnosed as negative (NILM). We compared HPV test results within each category. As a positive control, five consecutive cases each of LSIL and HSIL were also reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of NILM cases, 11 of 250 EC+ cases and 14 of 250 EC- cases were positive for hrHPV. HPV 16 was present in 5 of 11 EC + cases and in 1 of 14 EC- cases. Of LSIL cases, 1 of 5 EC+ cases was positive for hrHPV, and 2 of 5 EC- cases were positive for hrHPV. Of HSIL cases, 5 of 5 EC+ cases were hrHPV+. In the time period studied, only one case of EC- HSIL was found, which was positive for hrHPV.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although our study did not prove a significant correlation between HPV testing results and EC on PT, more EC+ PTs were positive for HPV16 compared to EC- PTs. The absence of EC on PT does not appear to warrant re-testing for HPV infection, though larger studies are required to determine the significance of low HPV 16 in PT without EC. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2016;44:280-282. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
authors.affiliation: Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire.
authors.forename: Kirsten J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Pierce
authors.affiliation: Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire.
authors.forename: Heather S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Currens
authors.affiliation: Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire.
authors.forename: Laura J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Tafe
authors.affiliation: Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire.
authors.forename: Gregory J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Tsongalis
authors.affiliation: Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire.
authors.forename: Vijayalakshmi
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Padmanabhan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001681:Biological Assay; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D052162:Human papillomavirus 16 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D014626:Vaginal Smears; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral
keywords: HPV; Pap test; Roche Cobas; cervical cancer; endocervical