Condylomatous lesions of the uterine cervix with special reference to squamous cell carcinogenesis

528 women with either a dysplastic or a neoplastic change in the squamous epithelium of the uterine cervix were histologically assessed with special emphasis on the detection of the newly discovered condylomatous lesions (flat, inverted and papillomatous). A total of 289 condylomatous (CO) lesions were found, the flat being most frequent (78.9%) followed by the inverted (14.5%) and the papillomatous ones (6.6%). The mean age (31.8 years) of the women with CO lesions was significantly lower (p less than 0.0001) than that of their non-condylomatous (N-CO) counterparts (43.0 years). The classical papillomatous condyloma was characterized as a lesion of the youngest age groups and associated with mild dysplasias, while the other two condyloma types were found in somewhat older women and frequently associated with more severe epithelial atypias (the severe dysplasias, in situ and invasive carcinomas). The possible role of human papilloma virus, the etiologic agent of the condylomas, as an agent responsible for or contributing to the development of the squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix was discussed in the light of the present findings. The conclusion was drawn that this possibility should be seriously considered.