[Detection of various papilloma virus types in cytologic smears of precancerous conditions and cancers of the uterine cervix]

Abstract

DNA-in situ hybridisation on epithelial cells taken from cervical swabs of 101 different patients cytologically diagnosed as III D to V (Munich classification 1975) were performed using 32P-labelled DNA of the human papilloma virus (HPV) types 6, 11, 16 and 18 as smears. The following correlations between the cytological classification and DNA hybridisation were obtained: 55 out of 58 women (94.8%) having a normal Pap smear (Pap II) were negative by hybridisation as well, three cases contained HPV 6 or 11.59.3% of patients revealing abnormalities characteristic of a papillomavirus infection reacted with the 32P-labelled DNA, while HPV 6/11 or 16/18, respectively, occurred at approximately the same rate of frequency. In cases with severe dysplasia, carcinoma in situ or invasive cervical carcinoma (IVa, IVb, V) HPV 16 or 18 were more frequently found (67%) than in materials with mild dysplasia (IIID; 32% positive). HPV 6 or 11, on the other hand, was present only once in nine IVb/V-cases (11%), in 17% of IVa-cases, but in 32% of patients with mild dysplasia. Infections with all different virus types were found in 9% of the IVa-und 16% of the IIID-cases. The high prevalence of HPV 16 or 18 in CIS as well as in invasive carcinomas is in line with the biological correlation between both types of lesions. HPV 6 or 11 is more frequently associated with the usually reversible mild dysplastic epithelial alterations. The DNA-in situ swab hybridisation should, therefore, be of diagnostic value and might help to optimise the therapy for the individual patient.