Detection of human papillomavirus DNA in cervical squamous cell carcinoma in Xinjiang Uygur women

Objective: To study the association of cervical cancer with human papillomaviral (HPV) infection in Uygur women at high risk for development of cervical cancer in Xinjiang.

Methods: Cervical samples from 65 Uygur women with cervical cancer were collected. HPV DNA types 6/11, 16/18, 31/33/35 were studied by in-situ hybridization, and both consensus and type-specific primers for HPV types 6, 16 and 18 were used in 58 cases by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Results: HPV DNA was detected in 43.1%, 22.4% and 77.6% of specimens by the in-situ hybridization, PCR using L1 consensus primers and E6 type-specific primers, respectively.

Conclusions: E6 type-specific PCR was more sensitive than L1 consesus PCR and in-situ hybridization detection of HPV DNA. These data supported the role of HPV DNA (particularly HPV 16) in the pathogenesis of cervical carcinoma in high risk women living in Xinjiang.