HUMAN PAPILLOMA-VIRUS, VULVAR DYSTROPHY, AND VULVAR CARCINOMA - DIFFERENTIAL EXPRESSION OF HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS AND VULVAR DYSTROPHY IN THEPRESENCE AND ABSENCE OF SQUAMOUS-CELL CARCINOMA OF THE VULVA

In situ hybridization (ISH) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for se veral common HPV types were performed on 41 eases of vulvar dystrophy, 19 of which were associated with previous or simultaneous invasive sq uamous cell carcinoma of the vulva, Three of the 19 cases (16%) of dys trophy associated with cancer were found to contain KPV-16/18 by PCR. In contrast, 12 of the 22 cases (55%) of dystrophy not associated with carcinoma contained HPV-16/18 by PCR (P < 0.01), A control group of 1 0 vulvar specimens without dystrophy or carcinoma was negative for all HPV types tested, ISH was negative for all HPV types in all 41 cases, The data confirm the association between vulvar carcinoma and hypertr ophic/mixed dystrophy, and provide evidence for an association between HPV-16/18 and some cases of vulvar dystrophy, Cases of vulvar dystrop hy not associated with HPV-16/18 may be at increased risk for the deve lopment of vulvar carcinoma. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.