The role of human papillomavirus in cervical adenocarcinoma carcinogenesis

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is considered the single most important co-factor in the development of cervical squamous cell carcinomas. Adenocarcinomas of the cervix are also related to HPV, but the correlation is reported to be less pronounced. In the present study, 131 cervical adenocarcinomas were identified through the Swedish Cancer Registry, examined morphologically and then analysed with sensitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based HPV methods for a study of age-related prevalence of HPV. HPV was identified in 64% of the tumours after PCR amplification of the HPV L1 gene only and in 71% following PCR amplification of both the L1 and E6 genes of HPV. HPV 18 was the most prevalent (52%), followed by HPV 16 (33%) and other types of HPV (15%). The prevalence of HPV was shown to be age-dependent. In women younger than 40 years, HPV was present in 89%, whereas in women 60 years and older, HPV was observed in only 43%. The difference was statistically significant, P<0.005. The HPV-positive adenocarcinomas were represented by an age distribution similar to that of cervical squamous carcinomas with a maximum age, in the 40-49 year old group, whereas the frequency of HPV-negative adenocarcinomas increased with age, typical of most carcinomas occurring in elderly women.