Genetic link to cervical tumours

Cervical cancer is strongly associated with infection by oncogenic types of human papilloma virus (HPV). But only a small fraction of those infected develop cancer, indicating that other factors contribute to the progression to cervical cancer. We have compared incidence of the disease in relatives of cases of cervical tumour and controls, and find a significant familial clustering among biological, but not adoptive, relatives. We find no difference in the risk to siblings who have a mother or father in common, so the clustering cannot be explained by vertical transmission of HPV from mother to child. These results provide epidemiological evidence of a genetic predisposition to cervical cancer.