Human Papillomavirus Types and Localization in Adenocarcinoma and Adenosquamous Carcinoma of the Uterine Cervix: A Study by in Situ DNA Hybridization1

Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues from 108 cases of invasive carcinoma of the uterine cervix, consisting of 40 cases of adenocarcinoma, 44 cases of adenosquamous carcinoma, and, as a control, 24 cases of squamous cell carcinoma were examined for the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA by in situ hybridization of high sensitivity using tritium-labeled HPV-2, HPV-6, HPV-16, and HPV-18 DNA probes. This method detects five genome copies of homologous HPV DNA per cell. HPV DNA was detected with mixed HPV DNA probes in 17 cases (42.5%) of adenocarcinoma, 16 cases (36.4%) of adenosqua mous carcinoma, and in 13 cases (54.2%) of squamous cell carcinoma. The types of HPV DNA in the HPV-positive tissues were also analyzed with each individual probe under high stringency conditions. HPV-18 DNA was detected in all but one case of the HPV DNA-positive adeno carcinoma and one-half of the HPV DNA-positive adenosquamous car cinoma. HPV-16 DNA was detected in one case of the HPV DNApositive adenocarcinoma, one-half of the HPV DNA-positive adenosqua mous carcinoma, and all cases of the HPV DNA-positive squamous cell carcinoma. HPV DNA was confined to the areas of carcinoma and squamous cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) associated with carci noma. Among 36 cases in which ON was associated with adenocarcinoma (9 cases), adenosquamous carcinoma (19 cases), and squamous cell carcinoma (8 cases), the same type of HPV DNA was present in the carcinoma and the associated CIN that constituted 12 cases (3 adenocar cinoma, 5 adenosquamous carcinoma, and 4 squamous cell carcinoma). Two cases (one adenocarcinoma and one adenosquamous carcinoma) contained HPV DNA in the carcinoma but not in the associated CIN. The incidence of HPV DNA did not show a significant correlation with the existence of CIN or histolÃ3gica!differentiation of carcinoma.