Localization of Human Papillomavirus-DNA in Cervical Adenocarcinoma Revealed by in Situ Hybridization

Abstract

: Many reports have shown that human papillomavirus (HPV) plays an important role in the carcinogenesis of cervical adenocarcinoma. In the present study, 106 cases of uterine cervical adenocarcinoma, comprising 95 cases of adenocarcinoma and 11 cases of adenosquamous carcinoma, were examined for HPV-DNA using in situ hybridization (ISH). Using ISH, we were able to show the expression of HPV-DNA on a glass slide. Forty-eight of 106 cases (45.3%) of adenocarcinoma and adenosquamous carcinoma were positive for high-risk HPV-DNA according to ISH. Of 79 cases of invasive adenocarcinoma, 35 (44.3%) were positive for high-risk HPV-DNA, compared with eight of 16 cases (50%) of adenocarcinoma in situ. In the underlying non-neoplastic epithelium, positive foci were found in the squamous epithelium of 11 of 64 cases (17.2%), but no glandular or columnar epithelium was positive for HPV. HPV infection seems to play a role in the induction rather than the progression of cervical adenocarcinoma. High-risk HPV infection in the underlying squamous epithelium may be related to the carcinogenesis of adenocarcinoma, but there was no relationship found with the underlying glandular and columnar epithelium.