Human papilloma virus in verrucus carcinoma of the vulva: an immunopathological study of three cases

The pathological features of three cases of verrucus carcinoma of the vulva, examined in our laboratory during the last decade are presented. Verrucus carcinoma of the vulva is of special interest because of its rarity (6.5% of our cases of malignant lesions of the vulva), its special morphology and the problems in differential diagnosis that are encountered. There is also evidence that there is an association with HPV infection. We present the pathological features of three cases of verrucus carcinoma that we studied in the last decade in our Laboratory among 48 malignant lesions of the vulva. An immunohistochemical detection of HPV was performed by the streptavidine-viotine method and classification by in situ hybridization showed the presence of HPV 6/11 in all cases.