Evaluation of any or type-specific persistence of high-risk human papillomavirus for detecting cervical precancer
- PMID: 22162556
- PMCID: PMC3264159
- DOI: 10.1128/JCM.05979-11
Evaluation of any or type-specific persistence of high-risk human papillomavirus for detecting cervical precancer
Abstract
High-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) testing is increasingly important. We therefore examined the impact on accuracy of repeated versus one-time testing, type-specific versus pooled detection, and assay analytic sensitivity. By using a nested case-control design from the ASCUS-LSIL Triage Study, we selected women with incident cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or grade 3 (CIN2/3; n = 325) and a random sample of women with <CIN2 as controls (n = 401). HPV DNA status was assessed using hybrid capture 2 (HC2), a pooled test for 13 HR-HPV types, and the linear array (LA) and the line blot assay (LBA), two PCR-based HPV genotyping assays, at enrollment and the 6-month follow-up visit. The relative sensitivity and specificity for different permutations of multiple measurements were compared to a single measurement using marginal regression models. We found that repeat detection of any HR-HPV (by HC2, LA, or LBA) and of type-specific persistence (by LA or LBA) were significantly more specific but less sensitive than use of a single time point measurement of any HR-HPV. Sensitivity decreased and specificity increased further when testing intervals were increased from 12 to 24 months. Including detection of borderline carcinogenic/noncarcinogenic HPV types with HR-HPV types decreased specificity for repeat measures of HPV with no impact on sensitivity. Similar patterns were observed when we used a CIN3 end point. We conclude that assay performance for detecting incident CIN2/3 was affected by which types were included, the analytic sensitivity of the assay, and the testing interval. These trade-offs need to be considered when assessing the potential overall clinical utility of repeated testing for HR-HPV DNA to identify women at risk for CIN2/3.
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References
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- ASCUS-LSIL Triage Study (ALTS) Group 2003. Results of a randomized trial on the management of cytology interpretations of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 188: 1383–1392 - PubMed
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- Castle PE, Gravitt PE, Solomon D, Wheeler CM, Schiffman M. 2008. Comparison of linear array and line blot assay for detection of human papillomavirus and diagnosis of cervical precancer and cancer in the atypical squamous cell of undetermined significance and low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion triage study. J. Clin. Microbiol. 46: 109–117 - PMC - PubMed
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