Cervical cancer and human papillomavirus in indigenous Guyanese women.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of cervical disease, human papillomavirus infection, and human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes in indigenous villages of Guyana.

STUDY

DESIGN

This is a retrospective analysis of a clinical cervical cancer screening and treatment program: 2250 women underwent cytologic screening; 1423 women were concomitantly screened for HPV. HPV genotyping was performed in 45 women with high-grade dysplasia and in 9 women with cervical carcinoma.

RESULTS

We found invasive cervical carcinoma in 0.80% of the women, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia II and III in 5.07% of the women, and a high-risk HPV infection rate in 19.3% of the women, all of which peaked between the ages of 20-30 years. Sixteen genotypes were detected in women with high-grade dysplasia or cancer: HPV 31, 25.0%; HPV 16, 22.7%; HPV 18, 13.6%. The rate of HPV 16 and 18 in cervical cancer was 55.50%.

CONCLUSION

Indigenous Guyanese women have a high rate of cervical cancer and high-grade dysplasia, with an apparent predominance of HPV 16 and 18 in invasive cancer and overrepresentation of HPV 31 in high-grade dysplasia.