HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS TYPE-16 AND TYPE-18 IN ADENOCARCINOMA OF THE UTERINE CERVIX

Fifty cervical adenocarcinomas and 50 squamous cell carcinomas from age-matched patients were examined for human papillomavirus (HPV) types 16 and 18. The polymerase chain reaction was used to examine formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded carcinoma tissues for 120 and 113 bp sequences, respectively, of the highly conserved E6/E7 regions of the viral genomes. HPV type 16 was detected more often in squamous cell carcinomas than in adenocarcinomas (60% vs 18%, P < 0.001). Conversely, HPV type 18 was detected significantly more often in adenocarcinoma tissues (52% vs 12% in squamous cell carcinomas, P < 0.001). These differences may reflect the fact that different virus receptors exist in cervical cells with different morphologic potential, or they may indicate that the specific HPV infection actually plays a role in directing carcinogenesis. © 1992.