The role of human papillomavirus type 16/18 genotyping in predicting high-grade cervical/vaginal intraepithelial neoplasm in women with mildly abnormal Papanicolaou results.

BACKGROUND

The authors compared the predictive value of type 16 and/or 18 human papillomavirus (HPV) versus non-16/18 HPV types for high-grade (grade ≥2) cervical neoplasm/vaginal intraepithelial neoplasm and carcinoma (CIN/VAIN2+) in women with mildly abnormal Papanicolaou (Pap) results (ie, atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance [ASCUS] or low-grade squamous epithelial lesion [LSIL]).

METHODS

The authors retrospectively selected Pap specimens with HPV testing results obtained from 243 women (155 with ASCUS and 88 with LSIL Pap results) in their Department of Pathology. HPV genotyping was performed using the EasyChip HPV blot assay. The Pap specimens with HPV16/18 and non-16/18 HPV types were compared with follow-up biopsy results. Follow-up duration ranged from 1 month to 58 months (mean, 26 months).

RESULTS

In total, 58 of 155 specimens (37%) that had ASCUS and 29 of 88 specimens (33%) that had LSIL were positive for HPV16/18. CIN/VAIN2+ biopsies were identified in 43 of 155 women (28%) with ASCUS and in 28 of 88 women (32%) with LSIL. Women with ASCUS and HPV16/18 had a significantly higher rate (43%) of CIN/VAIN2+ than women with ASCUS and non-16/18 HPV types (19%; P = .003; odds ratio, 3.10; 95% confidence interval, 1.48-6.53). There was no statistically significant difference in the rate of CIN/VAIN2+ between women who had LSIL and HPV16/18 (45%) and those who had LSIL and non-16/18 HPV types (29%; P = .16; odds ratio, 1.96; 95% confidence interval, 0.77-4.97).

CONCLUSIONS

HPV genotyping for HPV16/18 improved risk assessment for women with ASCUS Pap results and may be used to predict the risk of CIN/VAIN2+ to better guide follow-up management.