Association of human papillomavirus with malignant and premalignant lesions of the uterine endometrium

HPV infection and endometrial polyps: insights from a case-control study

BACKGROUND

Endometrial polyps are common benign lesions characterized by localized overgrowths of endometrial tissue within the uterine cavity. The etiology and pathogenesis of these polyps remain unclear. Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, known for its association with various genital tract conditions, has been investigated concerning endometrial polyps, although research in this area is limited.

METHODS

A case-control study involving 62 premenopausal women was conducted, with endometrial polyp cases and control groups matched for age and BMI. Biopsy samples were collected for HPV testing using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Clinical and demographic data were collected and analyzed for associations between HPV presence and endometrial polyps.

RESULTS

Results showed a higher prevalence of HPV (all types) in cases (4, 12.9%) compared to controls (1, 3.2%), with low-risk HPV being the most prevalent genotype detected and HPV 16 tested positive in one case diagnosed with polyp. While no significant association was found between HPV infection and the presence of endometrial polyps, the study suggests a potential role for HPV in their development. Interestingly, HPV presence in endometrial polyps was unrelated to histopathological features, patients' age, or BMI.

CONCLUSION

This study provides insights into the potential involvement of HPV infection in the development of endometrial polyps. Despite no significant association found, the prevalence of HPV in these polyps suggests a possible contributory role. Further research with larger sample sizes and more robust methodologies is warranted to clarify this association and its clinical implications.

Correlation of High-Risk Human Papilloma Virus with Deep Endometriosis: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background

Recently, it has been suggested that microbial infections play a role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. One of the most commonly suggested infections associated with the pathogenesis of endometriosis is human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. The present study is aimed at evaluating the prevalence, types, and risk factors for HPV infection in women with endometriosis and at investigating the association of upper and lower genital tract involvement with HPV and the severity of endometriosis.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 81 patients with endometriosis, referred to Rasool Akram Medical Complex in Tehran, Iran, for laparoscopic surgery. The patients' demographic, clinical, and anthropometric data were extracted from their medical records, as well as interviews. The stage of disease was scored based on the revised American Society for Reproductive Medicine (rASRM) classification. The HPV-positive and HPV-negative cases were compared using the chi-square test for categorical variables and Student t-test for continuous variables.

Results

Twenty (24.69%) out of 81 women with endometriosis were infected with HPV (nine cases of pelvic HPV, nine cases of vaginal HPV, and two cases of both pelvic and vaginal HPV). The HPV-infected women had a significantly lower infertility rate (15% vs. 45.9%; P = 0.014). The VAS scores for dysmenorrhea and dyspareunia were relatively the same in the two groups (P > 0.05). HPV 6 and HPV 11 were the most common types of HPV, reported in 35% and 30% of endometriosis cases, respectively.

Conclusion

The prevalence of HPV was 24.69%, and low-risk genotypes were dominant. No significant association was found between HPV and the severity of endometriosis.

“Iron triangle” of regulating the uterine microecology: Endometrial microbiota, immunity and endometrium

The uterus is the core place for breeding new life. The balance and imbalance of uterine microecology can directly affect or even dominate the female reproductive health. Emerging data demonstrate that endometrial microbiota, endometrium and immunity play an irreplaceable role in regulating uterine microecology, forming a dynamic iron triangle relationship. Up to nowadays, it remains unclear how the three factors affect and interact with each other, which is also a frontier topic in the emerging field of reproductive tract microecology. From this new perspective, we aim to clarify the relationship and mechanism of the interaction of these three factors, especially their pairwise interactions. Finally, the limitations and future perspectives of the current studies are summarized. In general, these three factors have a dynamic relationship of mutual dependence, promotion and restriction under the physiological or pathological conditions of uterus, among which the regulatory mechanism of microbiota and immunity plays a role of bridge. These findings can provide new insights and measures for the regulation of uterine microecology, the prevention and treatment of endometrial diseases, and the further multi-disciplinary integration between microbiology, immunology and reproductive medicine.

Synchronous endometrioid adenocarcinomas in the uterine cervix and corpus

It is frequently difficult to distinguish multiple primary carcinomas from single primary carcinoma with metastasis. Here, we report a case of synchronous endometrioid adenocarcinomas that independently occurred in the uterine cervix and corpus. A 47-year-old woman complaining of genital bleeding was preoperatively diagnosed with cervical adenocarcinoma with an endometrial lesion. On surgical treatment, two separate malignant lesions bearing endometrioid adenocarcinoma were identified in the uterine cervix and cavity. Although both lesions expressed the same type of human papillomavirus (HPV) gene, type 16, microscopic continuity was not observed. Furthermore, we detected a critical difference in PTEN mutation between the tumors and finally diagnosed this case as multiple primary cancers. This is the first report to show multiple primary endometrioid adenocarcinomas simultaneously arising in the uterine cervix and corpus. Considering the rarity of this case, the coexistence of HPV suggests its possible involvement in the carcinogenesis of the endometrioid adenocarcinomas.

A clinicopathological study of episomal papillomavirus infection of the human placenta and pregnancy complications

Viral infections are known to adversely affect pregnancy, but scant attention has been given to human papilloma virus (HPV) infection. We aimed to determine the molecular and histopathological features of placental HPV infection, in association with pregnancy complications including fetal growth restriction, pre-maturity, pre-eclampsia, and diabetes. Three hundred and thirty-nine placentae were selected based on the presence or absence of pregnancy complications. Five independent methods were used to identify HPV in the placenta, namely, immunohistochemistry for L1 viral capsid, in situ hybridization to high-risk HPV DNA, PCR, western blotting, and transmission electron microscopy. Pregnancy complications and uterine cervical smear screening results were correlated with placental HPV histopathology. In this study, which was deliberately biased towards complications, HPV was found in the decidua of 75% of placentae (253/339) and was statistically associated with histological acute chorioamnionitis (P<0.05). In 14% (35/253) of the HPV positive cases, HPV L1 immunoreactivity also occurred in the villous trophoblast where it was associated with a lymphohistiocytic villitis (HPV-LHV), and was exclusively of high-risk HPV type. HPV-LHV significantly associated with fetal growth restriction, preterm delivery, and pre-eclampsia (all P<0.05). All cases of pre-eclampsia (20/20) in our cohort had high-risk placental HPV. A further 55 cases (22%, 55/253) of HPV positive placentae had minimal villous trophoblast HPV L1 immunoreactivity, but a sclerosing pauci-immune villitis, statistically associated with diabetes (49.1%, 27/55, P<0.05). For women with placental HPV, 33% (69/207) had an HPV-related positive smear result before pregnancy compared with (9.4% 8/85) of women with HPV-negative placentae (P=0.0001). Our findings support further investigations to determine if vaccination of women and men will improve pregnancy outcomes.

High-risk human papillomavirus infection in different histological subtypes of renal cell carcinoma

Limited data exist regarding whether a high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) infection increases the risk of developing renal cell carcinoma. The aim of this study was to investigate whether HPV infection has a role in the pathogenesis or development of a certain histological subtype of renal cell carcinoma. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) specimens of 122 patients with histopathologically proven renal cell carcinoma and their respective peritumoral tissues were examined. The presence of HPV-DNA was determined by a combination of MY/GP+ consensus primers and HPV-16/18 type specific nested PCRs followed by direct sequencing. Catalyzed signal-amplified colorimetric in situ hybridization (CSAC-ISH) technique was applied to determine the physical status of viral genome. The expression of p16INK4a and HPV L1 capsid proteins was evaluated using immunohistochemistry. HPV genome was detected in 37 (30.3%) tumor specimens and their four (4.1%) corresponding peritumoral tissues. HPV-18 was the most common viral type identified followed by HPV-16 and 58. Immunoexpression of p16INK4a was detected in 24 (20.3%) cases. Data analysis showed a significant correlation between p16INK4a expression and the presence of HR-HPV DNA (P < 0.001). CSAC-ISH analysis confirmed HR-HPV infection in 45% of tumors, which were previously tested positive for HPV-DNA. Diffuse signal pattern was identified in 15 (83.3%) samples whereas a mixed pattern of diffuse and punctate signals was only detectable in three cases. The results indicate an association of HR-HPV types with renal cell carcinoma. It is proposed that HPV infection in high-grade tumors might precede disease progression in a number of tumors, particularly of the papillary subtype.

Prevalence of Human Papillomavirus in endometrial cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

HPV is a common sexually transmitted infection and is considered to be a necessary cause of cervical cancer. The anatomical proximity to the cervix has led researchers to investigate whether Human Papillomavirus (HPV) has a role in the etiology of endometrial cancer.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the pooled prevalence of HPV DNA in endometrial cancer. Using meta-regression, we further analyzed whether factors such as geographical region, HPV DNA detection method, publication year and tissue type were associated with HPV prevalence. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for studies providing data on HPV prevalence in cases with endometrial cancer and in controls with normal or hyperplastic endometrial tissue.

RESULTS

We identified 28 papers (29 studies) examining the prevalence of HPV DNA in tumor tissue from endometrial cancer comprising altogether 1026 cases of endometrial cancer. The HPV prevalence varied considerably from 0% to 61.1%. From the random effects meta-analysis, the pooled prevalence of HPV DNA in endometrial cancer was 10.0% (95% CI: 5.2-16.2) with large between-study heterogeneity (I(2)=88.2%, p<0.0001). The meta-regression showed that HPV DNA detection method was statistically significantly associated with HPV prevalence (p=0.0016): the pooled HPV prevalence was 6.0% (95% CI: 1.5-13.0) using general primers, 18.9% (95% CI: 8.6-32.1) using type-specific primers and 1.0% (95% CI: 0.0-3.6) using non-PCR based methods. None of the other a priori defined variables were statistically significantly associated with HPV prevalence. The pooled OR was 1.43 (95% CI: 0.68-3.00) indicating that the odds of HPV was not increased in cases versus controls.

CONCLUSIONS

HPV appears to have a limited or no role in the etiology of endometrial cancer.

Endometrial carcinomas: a review emphasizing overlapping and distinctive morphological and immunohistochemical features

This review focuses on the most common diagnostic pitfalls and helpful morphologic and immunohistochemical markers in the differential diagnosis between the different subtypes of endometrial carcinomas, including: (1) endometrioid versus serous glandular carcinoma, (2) papillary endometrioid (not otherwise specified, villoglandular and nonvillous variants) versus serous carcinoma, (3) endometrioid carcinoma with spindle cells, hyalinization, and heterologous components versus malignant mixed müllerian tumor, (4) high-grade endometrioid versus serous carcinoma, (5) high-grade endometrioid carcinoma versus dedifferentiated or undifferentiated carcinoma, (6) endometrioid carcinoma with clear cells versus clear cell carcinoma, (7) clear cell versus serous carcinoma, (8) undifferentiated versus neuroendocrine carcinoma, (9) carcinoma of mixed cell types versus carcinoma with ambiguous features or variant morphology, (10) Lynch syndrome-related endometrial carcinomas, (11) high-grade or undifferentiated carcinoma versus nonepithelial uterine tumors. As carcinomas in the endometrium are not always primary, this review also discusses the differential diagnosis between endometrial carcinomas and other gynecological malignancies such as endocervical (glandular) and ovarian/peritoneal serous carcinoma, as well as with extra-gynecologic metastases (mainly breast and colon).

Human papillomavirus in endometrial adenocarcinomas: infectious agent or a mere "passenger"?

Aims. To investigate the possible association of human papillomavirus (HPV) with endometrial hyperplasias and neoplasia. Does HPV play any role in the initiation or prognosis of endometrial adenocarcinomas? Methods. Twenty-five endometrial adenocarcinomas of the endometrioid cell type, with and without squamous differentiation, and twenty-four endometrial hyperplasias of various forms (simple, complex, and atypical) were analyzed for the presence of type 16 and 18 HPV by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The results were related to histopathological features of the tumour, and the patients' age, and prognosis. Results. Six of 25 endometrial adenocarcinomas were HPV 16-positive (24%), and 5 of 25 (20%) were HPV 18-positive. Simple endometrial hyperplasias was associated somewhat more commonly with HPV 16 and 18 (2/8 and 1/8 cases, resp.) than hyperplasias progressing to endometrial adenocarcinomas, namely, atypical endometrial hyperplasia (1/8 and 0/8 cases, resp.). None of the positive cases in the series, whether hyperplastic or neoplastic, demonstrated cytological evidence of HPV infection. There was no relation between HPV-positive cases and squamous differentiation, depth of myometrial invasion, lymphatic involvement, lymphocytic response, patients' age, or prognosis. Conclusion. It appears that the presence of HPV in the endometrium, as detected by PCR, does not play any role in the initiation or prognosis of endometrial adenocarcinoma.

Human papillomavirus: molecular and cytologic/histologic aspects related to cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and carcinoma

Cervical cancer is unique among human cancers because it was the first cancer discovered to be virtually solely attributable to the effects of an infectious agent. Numerous epidemiologic and laboratory studies have confirmed a strong causal association between human papillomavirus infection and the development of premalignant and malignant lesions of the uterine cervix, and human papillomavirus-mediated malignant transformation is an ideal model system for the study of virally mediated carcinogenesis. Neoplastic transformation of affected cervical epithelium appears to be a direct consequence of the unregulated overexpression of viral oncoproteins that have central roles in the normal viral replicative cycle. This review is focused on the mechanisms that regulate the normal papillomavirus life cycle and on the mechanisms that appear to have central roles in malignant transformation of the cervical mucosa.

Human papilloma virus (HPV)-associated gynecological alteration in mothers of children with recurrent respiratory papillomatosis during long-term observation

BACKGROUND

Human papilloma virus (HPV) is one of the most frequently observed sexually transmitted infections. The study' purpose was to investigate the relation between a mother's gynecological history and the local status of her child with recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP).

METHODS

Forty-two patients enrolled in a prospective multicenter study between 1983 and 1990. The study included patients with juvenile-onset and adult-onset RRP. All patients underwent surgery and treatment with alpha-interferon. Thirty-eight patients were followed up until 31.01.2006. Twenty-five mothers of these patients participated in a parallel prospective study of genital HPV infection. In 1989-1990, all received a routine gynecological examination, an expanded colposcopy, a Pap smear, and a cervical biopsy. The mothers were followed up until February 2006.

RESULTS

74% of patients with RRP were the first-born children. Five (20%) mothers had condylomata acuminata, newly diagnosed during pregnancy. Indicators of HPV infection such as koilocytes, koilocytotic dysplasia and condyloma acuminatum were revealed cytologically in 17% of cases and histologically in 71.4% of cases. Six (24%) of mothers had had a hysterectomy. HPV type 11 was prevalent in the children of mothers who had had a hysterectomy. Among the patients with juvenile-onset RRP, the death rate from squamous cell carcinoma of the lung was significantly higher in those patients whose mothers had a hysterectomy (p=0.028).

CONCLUSIONS

Mothers of patients with RRP demonstrated cytological and histological indicators of HPV infection in the genital tract. An adverse outcome of the disease in the child was associated with adverse gynecological history in the mother.

P16INK4a overexpression independent of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection in rare subtypes of endometrial carcinomas

In the current study, we evaluated p16 expression in rare subtypes of endometrial carcinomas, whose HPV status has been previously examined in order to establish the role of this protein in their pathogenesis. These rare subtypes of endometrial carcinomas are primary squamous endometrial carcinoma (ESCC), endometrial mucinous microglandular adenocarcinoma (EMMA), and endometrial transitional cell carcinoma (ETCC). All tissues, obtained at the time of hysterectomy, were fixed in 10% phosphate-buffered formalin and embedded in paraffin. Serial sections were made for hematoxylin and eosin staining and for immunohistochemistry. Although a previous PCR study has demonstrated that none of these neoplasms showed any signal for HPV DNA, these malignancies did display immunoreactivity for P16(INK4a). In ESCC, P16(INK4a) immunoreactivity was diffuse in 100% of neoplastic cells. In two cases of EMMA, positivity for P16INK4a was zonal. In ETCC, scattered cells were positive for P16INK4a protein. These findings suggest that alteration of p16 could play an etiologic role, without any association to HPV infections, in these rare endometrial carcinomas. However, in our view, other cases of these rare malignancies should be investigated in order to confirm this hypothesis.

High Rate of Endometrial Hyperplasia in Renal Transplanted Women

A high rate of endometrial hyperplasia, an estrogen-dependent premalignant lesion of the endometrium, has been observed among female kidney allograft recipients. The aim of the study was to evaluate the incidence of endometrial abnormalities among renal transplanted women with abnormal uterine bleedings.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A retrospective analysis compared 45 renal transplanted women who underwent dilatation and curettage for abnormal uterine bleeding between January 1999 and September 2004 with 90 consecutive, nontransplanted, control patients who underwent dilatation and curettage for the same reason in 2004.

RESULTS

Thirty-one cases (69%) of endometrial hyperplasia and one case (2%) of endometrial cancer were detected among the renal allograft recipients. The majority of transplant patients (28 cases, 62%) developed endometrial hyperplasia without atypia successfully treated with progestagens. There were 29 cases (32%) of hyperplasia without atypia, 2 cases (1%) of atypical hyperplasia, and 4 cases (4%) of endometrial cancer in the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

Renal transplanted women seem to have an extremely high risk of endometrial hyperplasia. The majority of cases may be successfully treated with progestagens. Immunocompromised renal graft recipients, however, show other risk factors for carcinogenesis. Thus, frequent clinical surveillance should be recommended in this group of patients, also because there is conflicting evidence with regard to the risk of progression to carcinoma among untreated patients.

Morules in endometrial carcinoma and benign endometrial lesions differ from squamous differentiation tissue and are not infected with human papillomavirus

BACKGROUND

Squamous differentiation/squamous metaplasia is often associated with endometrial adenocarcinoma and benign lesions, such as endometrial hyperplasia and chronic endometritis. Morules have distinct histological characteristics, and are referred to as squamous metaplasia or squamoid metaplasia.

AIM

To focus on the histological characteristics of morules and clarify the difference between morules and squamous differentiation.

MATERIALS/METHODS

Twenty endometrioid carcinomas with morules or squamous differentiation, five adenosquamous carcinomas, and eight non-carcinomatous endometrial lesions with morules were investigated. Numerous antibodies for epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), involucrin, cytokeratins, neuropeptides, and oncofetal antigens were used for immunohistochemistry. In situ hybridisation and polymerase chain reaction were used to detect human papillomavirus (HPV).

RESULTS

The morules observed were uniform cell clusters, with no squamous differentiation. They were immunonegative for epithelial antigens including involucrin, EMA, and cytokeratins, but were positive for neurone specific enolase. A few morules were immunopositive for acetylcholine esterase, and one case was positive for somatostatin; neither oncofetal nor proliferative cell markers, including blood group A, B, and AB, or other neuropeptides were demonstrated in the morules. HPV DNA was not found in either the morules in the carcinomas or in the benign lesions. However, true squamous differentiation tissue in four endometrioid carcinomas and two adenosquamous carcinomas was HPV positive using in situ hybridisation.

CONCLUSION

Morules are histologically distinct from squamous metaplasia/squamous differentiation tissue. Morules are thought to be neuroectodermal-like cell clusters, and are not infected with HPV. In contrast, some of the true squamous differentiation tissue was associated with HPV infection.

A critical appraisal of the value of immunohistochemistry in diagnosis of uterine neoplasms

In recent years there have been a plethora of publications regarding the value of immunohistochemical studies in diagnosis in gynecological pathology. In many instances, papers are published initially that suggest that a certain antibody or panel of antibodies is of value in the diagnosis of a particular neoplasm and in the distinction of this from mimics. However, this is usually quickly followed by other studies that somewhat contradict these findings. The aim of this review is to present a critical appraisal of the value of immunohistochemical studies in the diagnosis of uterine neoplasms with emphasis on the recent literature. It is stressed that immunohistochemistry is necessary in relatively few cases and a knowledge of the potential immunoreactivity of utilized antibodies is required. With regard to endometrial carcinoma, topics discussed in this review include antibodies of value in the distinction between type 1 and type 2 carcinoma, in the characterization of focal serous proliferations in endometrial polyps and non-polypoid endometrium, in the sometimes problematic distinction between an endometrial and an endocervical adenocarcinoma, and in the distinction between a uterine and ovarian serous carcinoma. The value of CD10 as a proposed marker of mesonephric adenocarcinoma is also discussed. With regard to uterine mesenchymal neoplasms, a critical appraisal of the value of relatively new antibodies, including CD10 and h-caldesmon, in distinguishing between a smooth muscle and an endometrial stromal neoplasm is discussed as is the immunophenotype of two rare uterine mesenchymal neoplasms, uterine tumor resembling ovarian sex cord tumor (UTROSCT) and perivascular epithelioid cell tumor (PEComa).

Distinction of Endocervical and Endometrial Adenocarcinomas

Determining the origin of uterine adenocarcinomas can be difficult in biopsy and curettage specimens because the morphologic spectrum of endocervical and endometrial adenocarcinomas overlaps. In hysterectomy specimens, the primary site is often equivocal for tumors that involve the lower uterine segment and endocervix and lack identifiable precursor lesions. Most endocervical adenocarcinomas (ECAs) contain high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA, whereas endometrial adenocarcinomas (EMAs) rarely do. p16 is an inhibitor ofcyclin-dependent kinases, and overexpression of p16 has been observed in cervical intraepithelial lesions and invasive carcinomas associated with high-risk HPV types. We evaluated the utility of immunohistochemistry for p16 in the distinction of ECAs and EMAs. p16 expression was assessed in 24 unequivocal EMAs and 19 unequivocal ECAs and correlated with HPV DNA detection by in situ hybridization and polymerase chain reaction. These assays were then used to assist in the classification of four lower uterine segment/upper endocervical adenocarcinomas (LUS/EC-A) of equivocal origin. p16 expression was moderate-strong and diffuse in 18 ECAs (median 90% of tumor cells positive, range 90%-100%), and weak and diffuse in one. Fourteen of these were positive for HPV DNA, whereas 5 lacked detectable HPV DNA by in situ hybridization; one of these 5 was positive by polymerase chain reaction. In contrast, EMAs displayed weaker staining with patchy distribution (median 30% of tumor cells positive, range 5%-70%) and none contained HPV DNA by in situ hybridization. Two LUS/EC-As, which were positive for HPV, exhibited strong, diffuse p16 expression, consistent with endocervical origin of the tumors. The remaining 2 LUS/EC-As showed patchy p16 staining and did not contain detectable HPV DNA, consistent with the endometrial origin of the tumors. The p16 expression pattern can distinguish ECAs from EMAs. Compared with HPV DNA detection by in situ hybridization, p16 immunohistochemistry appears to be a more sensitive and easier to perform method for distinguishing ECAs from EMAs, can be used to assist in the classification of LUS/EC-As of equivocal origin, and should be evaluated for its utility in the prospective classification of uterine adenocarcinomas in curettage specimens prior to hysterectomy.

The value of HPV DNA typing in the distinction between adenocarcinoma of endocervical and endometrial origin

AIMS

Distinguishing between adenocarcinomas of endocervical and endometrial origin histologically can be difficult, particularly in small biopsies. Most endocervical adenocarcinomas contain human papillomavirus (HPV) deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of 'high-risk' (HR) types, whereas this has not been consistently demonstrated in endometrial adenocarcinomas. The aim of this study was to determine whether HPV DNA testing could aid in this differential diagnosis.

METHODS

The frequency of HPV DNA in paraffin-embedded tissue samples from 50 endocervical and 50 endometrial adenocarcinomas was investigated using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification techniques involving (i) a screening HPV test followed by HPV DNA sequencing, and (ii) a test designed to detect HR genotypes 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 45 and 58. Control specimens included cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) III lesions, squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) of the cervix and lung, and colonic adenocarcinomas. Measures to minimise cross-contamination were implemented.

RESULTS

The screening test followed by HPV DNA sequencing had the highest sensitivity. By this test HR HPV DNA was detected in 11 of 11 (100%) cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN III) lesions, nine of 10 (90%) cervical SCCs, none of 10 (0%) colorectal adenocarcinomas and none of 10 (0%) SCCs of the lung. Thirty-nine (78%) endocervical adenocarcinomas contained HR HPV DNA, compared to one (2.0%) endometrial adenocarcinoma.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that HPV DNA testing could be a useful adjunct in distinguishing between endocervical and endometrial adenocarcinomas in curettings or small biopsy specimens.

p16 immunoreactivity may assist in the distinction between endometrial and endocervical adenocarcinoma

The distinction between an endometrial and an endocervical origin of an adenocarcinoma may be difficult, especially with small biopsy specimens or when tumor is present in both endometrial and cervical specimens. Previous studies have investigated the value of antibodies such as carcinoembryonic antigen, estrogen receptor, and vimentin in making this distinction. We investigated the value of p16 immunohistochemistry for distinguishing between an endometrial and an endocervical origin of an adenocarcinoma. Cases included in the study were endometrial adenocarcinomas of endometrioid type (n=29) and cervical adenocarcinomas of endocervical type (n=23). Cases were scored on a scale from 0 to 5 depending on the percentage of positive tumor cells: 0 (negative or occasional cells positive); 1 (<5% cells positive); 2 (5-20% cells positive); 3 (21-50% cells positive); 4 (51-99% cells positive); 5 (100% cells positive). Twenty-two of 23 (96%) endocervical adenocarcinomas were scored 5; the other was scored 0. The numbers of endometrial adenocarcinomas with scores of 0 to 5, respectively, were 1, 7, 4, 9, 5, and 3. Most primary endocervical adenocarcinomas were characterized by strong, diffuse positivity of 100% of cells with p16. Endometrial adenocarcinomas are usually positive, but positivity is generally focal and commonly involves <50% of cells. However, occasional endometrial adenocarcinomas exhibit 100% positivity. Diffuse, strong positivity with p16 suggests an endocervical rather than an endometrial origin of an adenocarcinoma. When there is morphological doubt this antibody may be of value as part of a panel for ascertaining the origin of an adenocarcinoma. Diffuse, strong positivity with p16 in endocervical adenocarcinomas is likely caused by inactivation of the retinoblastoma protein by the E7 human papillomavirus oncoprotein, which acts as a p16 transcript repressor.

The presence of high-risk HPV combined with specific p53 and p16INK4a expression patterns points to high-risk HPV as the main causative agent for adenocarcinomain situ and adenocarcinoma of the cervix

Adenocarcinoma in situ (ACIS) and adenocarcinoma (AdCA) of the cervix are frequently missed in population-based screening programmes. Adding high-risk HPV (hrHPV) testing to cervical cancer screening might improve the detection rate of ACIS and AdCA. Since the exact proportion of AdCAs of the cervix that can be attributed to hrHPV infection is still a matter of debate, a comprehensive study was performed of hrHPV presence in ACIS and AdCA of the cervix. Archival formalin-fixed specimens of indisputable ACIS (n=65) and AdCA (n=77) of the cervix were tested for hrHPV DNA by GP5+/6+ PCR-enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and type-specific E7 PCR for 14 hrHPV types. Further immunostaining for p16INK4A and p53 was performed to assess alternative pathways of carcinogenesis potentially unrelated to HPV. hrHPV DNA was found in all (100%) ACISs and 72 (94%) cervical AdCAs, whereas none of 20 endometrial AdCAs scored hrHPV-positive. HPV 18 was most prevalent and found as single or multiple infection in 68% of ACISs and 55% of cervical AdCAs. Diffuse immunostaining for p16INK4a, a potential marker of hrHPV E7 function, was significantly more frequent in hrHPV-positive cervical AdCAs (19/20; 95%) than in those without hrHPV (1/5; 20%; p<0.001). Immunostaining for p53, pointing to stabilized wild-type or mutant p53 protein, was significantly more frequent in hrHPV cervical AdCAs negative for hrHPV (p=0.01). No difference in p16INK4a and p53 immunostaining was found between hrHPV-negative cervical AdCAs and endometrial AdCAs. Hence, only a minority of cervical AdCAs displayed absence of HPV DNA and immunostaining profiles suggestive of an aetiology independent of HPV. Since all ACISs and nearly all cervical AdCAs were hrHPV-positive, the incorporation of hrHPV testing in cervical cancer screening programmes is likely to decrease markedly the incidence of cervical AdCA.

Detection of human papillomavirus DNA in malignant lesions from Chinese women with carcinomas of the upper genital tract

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of high-risk oncogenic human papillomaviruses (HPVs) in malignant lesions from Hong Kong Chinese women with carcinomas of the upper genital tract.

METHODS

The presence of high-risk HPVs in 55 cases of endometrial adenocarcinomas and 60 cases of primary epithelial ovarian cancers was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using consensus primers complementary to late 1 (L1) gene of the genital HPVs. Amplified PCR products were verified and typed by Southern blot analysis using (32)P-labeled DNA probes prepared from cloned HPV-16 and -18 plasmids. To confirm the presence of high-risk HPV types in the tumor tissues, PCR amplification using HPV type 16- and 18-specific primers for part of the E6 gene were also carried out.

RESULTS

While HPV-18 was not detected, HPV-16 DNA sequences were identified in 5 (9.1%) of the 55 studied endometrial carcinoma samples. Of the 5 HPV-16-positive cases, there were 4 stage I, and 1 stage II endometrial cancer. In addition, 6 (10%) of the 60 epithelial ovarian carcinomas were positive for high-risk HPVs, which included 5 cases with HPV-16 and 1 case with HPV-18. Clinical staging revealed that 5 of the 6 HPV-positive cases were stage I and the remaining case was stage III ovarian cancer. Histology of the 6 HPV-positive cases showed that there were 1 case of clear-cell adenocarcinoma, 1 case of mucinous cystadenocarcinoma, and 4 cases of mucinous tumor of borderline malignancy. No other HPV types were detected.

CONCLUSION

High-risk HPV was detected in approximately 10% of the tumor samples from women with upper genital tract carcinomas. As compared to the high positive rate of HPV infections in cervical cancer, it appears that HPV infection plays a relatively minor role in the pathogenesis of endometrial and ovarian carcinomas.

Hormone receptor immunohistochemistry and human papillomavirus in situ hybridization are useful for distinguishing endocervical and endometrial adenocarcinomas

Determining the origin of uterine adenocarcinomas can be difficult in biopsy and curettage specimens because the morphologic spectrum of endocervical and endometrial adenocarcinomas overlaps. In addition, in hysterectomy specimens the primary site is often equivocal for tumors that involve predominantly the lower uterine segment and endocervix and lack identifiable precursor lesions. We assessed the value of immunohistochemistry for estrogen and progesterone receptors and in situ hybridization for human papillomavirus DNA detection in making this clinically relevant distinction. We evaluated a set of 48 adenocarcinomas of unequivocal origin (24 endocervical carcinomas and 24 endometrial endometrioid carcinomas without cervical extension) and then tested seven lower uterine segment/endocervical carcinomas of equivocal origin to determine whether patterns established in the initial set would permit definitive assignment of primary site for the equivocal set. Only one (4.2%) of 24 endocervical carcinomas was positive for both estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor, whereas 18 (75%) of 24 endometrial carcinomas were positive for estrogen receptor and 23 (95.8%) of 24 endometrial carcinomas were positive for progesterone receptor (p <0.001, chi2 test). Human papillomavirus DNA was detected in 16 (66.7%) of 24 endocervical carcinomas and in none of 24 endometrial carcinomas (p <0.001, chi2 test). Of the seven tumors of equivocal origin, five could be definitively classified as either endocervical or endometrial in origin based on their demonstration of a characteristic profile with these assays (either estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor-negative/human papillomavirus-positive, consistent with endocervical origin or estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor-positive/human papillomavirus-negative, consistent with endometrial origin). We conclude that hormone receptor immunohistochemistry and human papillomavirus in situ hybridization are useful for distinguishing endocervical and endometrial adenocarcinomas. The clinical utility of these techniques should be evaluated in studies that include curettage and biopsy specimens.

The role of human papillomavirus in cervical adenocarcinoma carcinogenesis

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is considered the single most important co-factor in the development of cervical squamous cell carcinomas. Adenocarcinomas of the cervix are also related to HPV, but the correlation is reported to be less pronounced. In the present study, 131 cervical adenocarcinomas were identified through the Swedish Cancer Registry, examined morphologically and then analysed with sensitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based HPV methods for a study of age-related prevalence of HPV. HPV was identified in 64% of the tumours after PCR amplification of the HPV L1 gene only and in 71% following PCR amplification of both the L1 and E6 genes of HPV. HPV 18 was the most prevalent (52%), followed by HPV 16 (33%) and other types of HPV (15%). The prevalence of HPV was shown to be age-dependent. In women younger than 40 years, HPV was present in 89%, whereas in women 60 years and older, HPV was observed in only 43%. The difference was statistically significant, P<0.005. The HPV-positive adenocarcinomas were represented by an age distribution similar to that of cervical squamous carcinomas with a maximum age, in the 40-49 year old group, whereas the frequency of HPV-negative adenocarcinomas increased with age, typical of most carcinomas occurring in elderly women.

Does human papillomavirus have a role in cancers of the uterine corpus?

OBJECTIVE

Thepurpose of this study was to determine the role of the human papillomavirus (HPV) in invasive uterine corpus cancer by characterizing the frequency of HPV DNA in malignant uterine tumors.

METHODS

Hysterectomy specimens from 66 women with uterine carcinoma were analyzed. Tumor specimens were frozen at -80 degrees C at the time of surgical resection. DNA was later extracted and examined for HPV DNA using type-specific PCR primers for HPV 6, 16, and 18 and consensus primers MY09/MY11, which detect DNA from 33 other common HPV types. Isolation procedures were undertaken to prevent contamination.

RESULTS

The histologic diagnoses of the 66 uterine cancer cases included 58 endometrial adenocarcinomas, 4 adenosquamous carcinomas, 3 malignant mixed mesodermal tumors, and 1 squamous cell carcinoma. HPV was detected by both type-specific and consensus primers in only 2 of the uterine specimens. None of the typical endometrioid adenocarcinoma specimens contained HPV DNA. HPV 16 was detected in 1 of the adenosquamous carcinoma samples and HPV 18 was detected in the squamous carcinoma specimen.

CONCLUSION

HPV DNA is not found in malignancies of the uterine corpus without malignant squamous elements when the risk of contamination is minimized. For these tumors, HPV appears to be unrelated to the neoplastic transformation process.

Human papillomavirus type 16 is detected in transitional cell carcinomas and squamotransitional cell carcinomas of the cervix and endometrium

BACKGROUND

The etiologic role of human papillomavirus (HPV) in a variety of squamous neoplasms, including malignant and premalignant lesions of the cervix, is well established. The presence of HPV, predominantly HPV types 16 and 18, in adenocarcinomas of the endometrium has also been reported, although less commonly. Although rare, transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) in the female genital tract, including such sites as the cervix, endometrium, and ovary, has been described. HPV, however, has not been previously studied in TCC of the female genital tract, the etiology of which is uncertain.

METHODS

Eight cases of primary TCC of the endometrium and six cases of primary TCC of the cervix were retrieved from the files of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Slides stained with hematoxylin and eosin were reviewed, and tumor tissue was obtained and analyzed for the presence of HPV types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, and 33 by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

RESULTS

HPV was detected by PCR in 4 of 6 TCCs of the cervix (67%) and in 2 of 8 TCCs of the endometrium (25%), using HPV general primers and specific primers to HPV type 16. PCR for HPV using specific primers to HPV types 6 and 11, 18, 31, and 33 were negative in all cases.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study demonstrated that HPV type 16 was present in a proportion of primary TCCs of the cervix and endometrium. These findings support the hypothesis that these rare neoplasms are similar, with regard to risk factors, to the more commonly occurring squamous cell carcinomas of the cervix, and suggest that HPV may play an etiologic role in at least a proportion of these tumors.

Human papillomavirus and mixed epithelial tumors of the endometrium

Strong epidemiological evidence links human papilloma viruses (HPV) with the development of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and invasive cancers of the uterine cervix. The localization of HPV DNA sequences high up in the female genital tract (in benign and malignant lesions) is not that uncommon, but its precise significance is uncertain. In particular, the detection of HPV DNA sequences by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) needs careful interpretation, because the source of the amplicon may emanate from tumor cells, direct contamination from the cervix, or possibly from extratumoral sites in the endometrium. We have previously reported the identification of koilocyte-like changes in the squamous epithelium of some endometrial adenoacanthomas. Adenoacanthomas (adenocarcinoma with squamous metaplasia) are mixed epithelial tumors arising in the endometrium composed of malignant glandular areas admixed with benign metaplastic squamous epithelium. The rarer adenosquamous carcinoma containing both malignant glandular and squamous areas is also described. The origin of benign/malignant squamous epithelial islands in endometrial tumors has been the subject of speculation, with some investigators considering an origin from metaplastic glandular endometrial cells. In this study, we examined 10 normal endometrial samples, 20 adenocarcinomas, 41 adenocarcinomas with squamous metaplasia, and two adenosquamous carcinomas, (including control cervical material where possible) for the presence of HPV DNA sequences using nonisotopic in situ hybridization (NISH), type-specific HPV PCR, general primer PCR (to detect sequenced and unsequenced HPVs), and PCR in situ hybridization (PCR-ISH). We did not identify HPV DNA sequences in normal endometrial tissue. In adenocarcinomas (endometrioid type), HPV was only identified in 2 of 20 cases by PCR, both of which were HPV 11 positive. We were unsuccessful in identifying HPV in endometrial carcinomas by NISH or by PCR-ISH, raising the possibility of contamination from the cervix in the two positive cases. In adenoacanthomas, a low-risk HPV type (HPV 6) was found in 19 of 41 cases. NISH signals were intranuclear in location in squamous regions of adenoacanthomas. Additional positive nuclei were uncovered using PCR-ISH, which increases the sensitivity of standard NISH detection. HPV DNA sequences were located in some malignant endometrial glandular epithelial cells, but this accounted for a minority of samples. HPV DNA sequences were not detected in extraepithelial sites. Mixed infection by two different HPV types was identified in two cases. Most cases showed similar HPV types in cervical and endometrial lesions, although discordant cases were uncovered. In adenosquamous carcinomas, one case showed mixed infection with HPV 6 and 33 by PCR. The apparent segregation of low-risk HPV type (HPV 6) with benign squamous metaplastic epithelium in adenocarcinoma with squamous metaplasia, and high-risk type (HPV 33) with malignant squamous epithelium in adenosquamous carcinoma, raises important questions in relation to the role of HPVs in mixed epithelial tumors of the endometrium and their interplay in the pathogenesis of squamous metaplasia at extracervical sites.

Adenocarcinoma of the cervix and adenocarcinoma of the endometrium: distinction with PCR-mediated detection of HPV DNA

The differential diagnosis between primary endocervical adenocarcinoma and adenocarcinoma originating in the endometrium may in some cases be difficult. The two cancer types have a different genesis, with human papillomavirus (HPV) as an important causal factor in the development of primary cervical carcinoma. In this study, the paraffin-embedded cervical tissues from 23 patients with stage II endometrial carcinoma and from 50 patients with primary cervical adenocarcinoma were examined for HPV DNA of types 16, 18, and 33. HPV DNA was demonstrated in 70% of the primary endocervical adenocarcinomas and in none of the endometrial carcinomas. It is concluded that HPV detection may be useful in the differential diagnosis of some cases of cervical and endometrial adenocarcinoma.