HUMAN PAPILLOMA-VIRUS INFECTION AND EXPRE SSION OF CARCINOEMBRYONAL ANTIGEN IN MODERATE CERVICAL INTRAEPITHELIAL NEOPLASIA

The objective was to investigate a possible correlation between expres sion of carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA) and human papilloma virus (HPV ) infection in moderate cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN II). W e examined the correlation of the incidence in different cases and the topographical correspondence. CEA was detected by immunohistochemistr y and HPV infection was diagnosed by in situ hybridization (including typing of 6/11, 16/18, 31/33) and well-established histologic criteria . Samples from 32 women were examined. In 29 cases (91 %) CEA was expr essed, mainly in the superficial layer of the epithelium. Twenty-three tissue samples (72 %) showed HPV infection. There was topographical c orrespondence of the two markers (mainly in superficial cell layers) b ut no correlation concerning the incidence of HPV infection or particu lar HPV subtypes. The highest prevalence of HPV was found in dysplasia s of the large-cell reserve cell type.