Effect of human papillomavirus genotype on severity and prognosis of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia

Does the New National Cervical Screening Programme Guideline Detect Cases of High-Grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesions That Previously Would Have Been Missed?

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to determine the number of patients undergoing large loop excision of the transformation zone (LLETZ), for biopsy-confirmed high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL), where the original cervical screening test (CST) reported oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) and negative liquid-based cytology (LBC). This reflects the number of patients where a LLETZ procedure would not have occurred under the previous guideline.

METHODS

Retrospective observational chart review of all patients (n = 477) who underwent LLETZ procedure in a single tertiary unit over a 36-month period. Prevalence of negative histopathology, positive margins, incidental cervical cancer, and accuracy of HSIL identification at colposcopy were measured. Diagnostic accuracy of HSIL diagnosis from initial colposcopic impression was calculated; factors influencing accuracy were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression analysis. There were no comparators.

RESULTS

Of 477 LLETZs, 5.9% (n = 28) were for oncogenic HPV and normal LBC on referral CST. Demographics between the "study" (oncogenic HPV and normal LBC on referral CST) and the "standard" group were similar, except the study group was less likely to be using contraception (25% vs 47%, p = .023). In the study group, initial colposcopic cervical biopsy confirmed HSIL in 91.6% (n = 27) and low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions in 3.6% (n = 1). Histopathological analysis of LLETZ specimens confirmed HSIL in 20 patients (71.4%) and low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions in 2 (7.1%). No microinvasion was detected.

CONCLUSIONS

The renewed National Cervical Screening Programme (NCSP), is detecting more "at risk" patients, predicted to lead to a further reduction in incidence of cervical cancer in adequately screened patients.

Investigating host-virus interaction mechanism and phylogenetic analysis of viral proteins involved in the pathogenesis

Since the emergence of yellow fever in the Americas and the devastating 1918 influenza pandemic, biologists and clinicians have been drawn to human infecting viruses to understand their mechanisms of infection better and develop effective therapeutics against them. However, the complex molecular and cellular processes that these viruses use to infect and multiply in human cells have been a source of great concern for the scientific community since the discovery of the first human infecting virus. Viral disease outbreaks, such as the recent COVID-19 pandemic caused by a novel coronavirus, have claimed millions of lives and caused significant economic damage worldwide. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms of host-virus interaction and the molecular machinery involved in the pathogenesis of some common human viruses. We also performed a phylogenetic analysis of viral proteins involved in host-virus interaction to understand the changes in the sequence organization of these proteins during evolution for various strains of viruses to gain insights into the viral origin's evolutionary perspectives.

Persistent HPV-16 infection leads to recurrence of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia

High-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) is a precancerous lesion of cervical cancer. The aims of this study were to evaluate the risk factors for recurrence of high-grade CIN and to determine if the specific genotype of human papillomavirus (HPV) is a predictor of recurrent high-grade CIN. Between January 2010 and December 2014, 172 patients with CIN 2+ underwent cold knife conization or a loop electrosurgical excision. The HPV DNA chip was used to detect HPV. Recurrent lesions were histologically confirmed and considered to be recurrence of CIN2+. We compared the recurrence rate in patients who did and did not have HPV infection after treatment. One hundred forty-eight (86%) patients had HPV infection before treatment. The first follow-up HPV test was performed on average 4.6 months after treatment and the recurrence rate for high-grade CIN was 3.5%. Fifty-eight patients (33.7%) were found to have HPV infection after treatment; of these, 14 (24.1%) had HPV genotype 16 and/or 18. Eleven patients had persistent HPV16 and/or 18 infection and 3 had new HPV 16 infection after treatment (78.6% and 21.4%, P = .001); the HPV 16 genotype was significantly correlated with recurrent disease and persistent infection after treatment (P = .013 and P = .054, respectively, [OR], 19.4; 95% [CI], 1.89-198.79). Recurrence of high-grade CIN was related to HPV infection after treatment, and persistent HPV16 infection was the most important factor for recurrence. Therefore, HPV vaccination for the HPV16 genotype and regular follow-up with HPV testing after treatment may be useful for preventing recurrent high-grade CIN.

High-risk human papillomavirus infection in the prediction of poor treatment response and disease recurrence in patients with vulvovaginal condyloma

OBJECTIVE

To determine the predictive factors for progression and recurrence of vulvovaginal condyloma (VVC), with a specific focus on high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) infections.

METHODS

Retrospective data were collected from 48 patients who were diagnosed with VVC and treated with topical trichloroacetic acid application or laser therapy during 2003-2014 at a hospital in South Korea. The diagnoses were made based on the presence of exophytic condylomatous lesions as assessed by direct visual inspection regardless of whether a biopsy was performed.

RESULTS

Overall, 18 patients (50.0% of those with a test result) were positive for HR-HPV. Three-quarters of the patients with a poor treatment response had abnormal cytologies, and abnormal cytology was a risk factor for a poor response (odds ratio, 4.33 [95% confidence interval, 1.05-17.84]). During a median follow-up of 24months, VVC recurred in seven (14.6%) patients. A high viral load (more than 50 relative light units) of HR-HPV was significantly associated with recurrence (odds ratio, 7.42, 95% confidence interval, 1.19-46.18).

CONCLUSION

A high HR-HPV load is a risk factor for recurrence, but is not related to treatment response. A poor treatment response is more related to abnormal cytology than it is to viral load.