THE HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS STATUS OF INVASIVE CERVICAL ADENOCARCINOMA -A CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL AND OUTCOME ANALYSIS

Accumulating evidence highlights the human papillomavirus (HPV) as a r isk factor for cervical adenocarcinoma. However, the part played by th e HPV in predicting tumor outcome or the increasing frequency of cervi cal adenocarcinoma is incompletely studied. In a retrospective study t he association between HPV status and the clinicopathological characte ristics of 77 cases of cervical adenocarcinoma Tvas investigated. The data were then analyzed for temporal differences in HPV status and to identify outcome predictors. Human papillomavirus status was determine d by dot blot hybridization using probes for HPV 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33 , and 35, followed by polymerase chain reaction amplification of the d ot blot negative cases. Seven type-specific and consensus HPV primers were used. Human papillomavirus type 16, 18, or 33 was present in 53 ( 70%) cases. Human papillomavirus status did not correlate with disease outcome or any clinicopathological variable, except that tumors prese nting in and after 1981 were more frequently HPV positive than those p resenting before 1981 (P = .014). In a multivariate analysis only clin ical stage at presentation was predictive of disease outcome. Because temporal differences in clinicopathological characteristics were not i dentified, the increasing frequency of cervical adenocarcinoma may rel ate to a more important oncogenic role for the HPV in tumors presentin g after 1980. Copyright (C) 1995 by W.B. Saunders Company