Potential contribution of human papillomavirus testing to cervical cancer screening

A prospective study was carried out to assess the clinical value of HPV DNA identification in terms of cases missed by either cytology or combined cytology and colposcopy screening methods, 231 exfoliative cytology specimens and forty-one cervical tissue samples were analysed for the presence of HPV 6, 11, 16 and 18 DNA sequences using filter in situ and Southern blot hybridisation methods, 36% of cytology specimens examined by filter in situ hybridisation method were found to carry HPV DNA sequence. Forty-nine (27%) out of 184 cases without cytological evidence of neoplasia had a positive HPV test. Simultaneous colposcopic examination of these patients showed no abnormality in 17 cases. The relevance of HPV investigations was based on the characteristic HPV prevalence in preneoplastic and normal cervical tissue samples. The results suggest that traditional cervical screening may be improved by simultaneous HPV testing. According to the presented data, only a very small portion of a random patient population can be expected to carry HPVs without cytologic or colposcopic abnormalities.