Distribution of HPV Types in Cervical Cancer in Pakistan: Implications for Screening and Vaccination Programs

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Virology
• Public Health

Background:

• Cervical cancer is a significant health concern globally and in Pakistan.
• Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the primary causative agent in the development of cervical cancer.
• Understanding HPV genotype distribution is crucial for effective prevention and control strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of various HPV genotypes in patients diagnosed with cervical cancer at NORI Cancer Hospital, Pakistan.
• To analyze HPV genotype distribution in relation to histological subtypes: Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) and Adenocarcinoma (ADC).
• To provide data that can inform and improve cervical cancer screening and vaccination programs in the region.

Main Methods:

• Cervical scraping samples were collected from 129 patients with diagnosed cervical cancer.
• HPV typing was conducted using a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay.
• Sequencing was employed to identify specific HPV genotypes present in the samples.

Main Results:

• A high HPV positivity rate of 73.6% (90/129) was observed among the study participants.
• HPV 16 was the most dominant genotype, found in 80.0% of HPV-positive cases, followed by HPV 18 (9.5%).
• HPV 16 was prevalent in both SCC (80.9%) and ADC (66.7%) cases, indicating its significant role across histological types.

Conclusions:

• The high prevalence of high-risk HPV types, including vaccine-targeted and non-targeted genotypes, necessitates urgent public health interventions.
• Widespread HPV screening and vaccination programs are critical for reducing cervical cancer incidence and mortality in Pakistan.
• Developing tailored public health strategies is essential for effective cervical cancer control.