Human papillomavirus standardization and DNA cytophotometry in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia

Human papillomavirus (HPV) standardization and DNA cytophotometry were carried out in 29 cases of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) grades I-III. A prognostically unfavorable DNA distribution pattern with an aneuploid stemline was found in 14 of the 16 dysplasias with HPV types 16 and 18, while in 11 of 13 dysplasias with HPV types 6 and 11 there was a favorable DNA distribution with a euploid-polyploid stemline. Among 178 colposcopically, cytologically and histologically confirmed cervical lesions, there was a statistically significant incidence of HPV 16/18 infections in severe dysplasias and carcinomas, while HPV 6/11 was found predominantly in mild cervical lesions. It seems that CIN can be divided into high- and low-risk lesions not only by the degree of severity and the DNA distribution pattern but also by HPV typing.