The value of p16ink4a expression by fluorescence in situ hybridization in triage for high risk HPV positive in cervical cancer screening.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) detection for p16ink4a expression as an alternative triage for high risk HPV positive women in cervical cancer screening.

METHODS

Totally 191 cervical cell specimens from women with HPV positive were collected. The p16ink4a expression by FISH and liquid-based thin-layer cytology was performed and followed by colposcopy with or without biopsied histologic examination for all participants. The relationship between p16ink4a expression and histologic diagnosis, as well as cytology was analyzed.

RESULTS

The positive rate of p16ink4a was 5.35% in normal or inflammation cases, 56.67% in CIN 1, 83.78% in CIN 2-3, 100.00% in carcinoma, respectively, with a significance between <CIN2 and ≥CIN 2 (P<0.001). The p16ink4a expression presented a concordance trend as cytology grading, with a positive rate of 9.28% in NILM, 33.33% in ASCUS, 53.37% in LSIL, 81.25% in ASC-H, and 95% in HSIL, respectively. Compared with cytology, FISH detection for p16ink4a had a higher accuracy (84.8% vs. 74.34%), higher sensitivity (87.75% vs. 52.00%) and similar specificity (83.84% vs. 88.79%) for predicting ≥CIN 2 lesions.

CONCLUSIONS

FISH detection specific to p16ink4a presents a high consistency with cytologic grading and has a higher accuracy for predicting high grade CIN than cytology in high risk HPV positive women. Our findings suggest that FISH detection for p16ink4a is a potential alternative triage for high-risk HPV positive women in cervical cancer screening.