Prevalence of human papillomavirus types in invasive vulvar cancers and vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia 3 in the United States before vaccine introduction

J Low Genit Tract Dis. 2012 Oct;16(4):471-9. doi: 10.1097/LGT.0b013e3182472947.

Abstract

Objective: The study aimed to determine the baseline prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) types in invasive vulvar cancer (IVC) and vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia 3 (VIN 3) cases using data from 7 US cancer registries.

Materials and methods: Registries identified eligible cases diagnosed in 1994 to 2005 and requested pathology laboratories to prepare 1 representative block for HPV testing on those selected. Hematoxylin-eosin-stained sections preceding and following those used for extraction were reviewed to confirm representation. Human papillomavirus was detected using L1 consensus polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with PGMY9/11 primers and type-specific hybridization, with retesting of samples with negative and inadequate results with SPF10 primers. For IVC, the confirmatory hematoxylin-eosin slides were re-evaluated to determine histological type. Descriptive analyses were performed to examine distributions of HPV by histology and other factors.

Results: Human papillomavirus was detected in 121/176 (68.8%) cases of IVC and 66/68 (97.1%) cases of VIN 3 (p < .0001). Patients with IVC and VIN 3 differed by median age (70 vs 55 y, p = .003). Human papillomavirus 16 was present in 48.6% of IVC cases and 80.9% of VIN 3 cases; other high-risk HPV was present in 19.2% of IVC cases and 13.2% of VIN 3 cases. Prevalence of HPV differed by squamous cell carcinoma histological subtype (p < .0001) as follows: keratinizing, 49.1% (n = 55); nonkeratinizing, 85.7% (n = 14), basaloid, 92.3% (n = 14), warty 78.2% (n = 55), and mixed warty/basaloid, 100% (n = 7).

Conclusions: Nearly all cases of VIN 3 and two thirds of IVC cases were positive for high-risk HPV. Prevalence of HPV ranged from 49.1% to 100% across squamous cell carcinoma histological subtypes. Given the high prevalence of HPV in IVC and VIN 3 cases, prophylactic vaccines have the potential to decrease the incidence of vulvar neoplasia.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Carcinoma in Situ / virology*
  • DNA, Viral / genetics
  • Female
  • Genotype
  • Histocytochemistry
  • Humans
  • Microscopy
  • Middle Aged
  • Papillomaviridae / classification*
  • Papillomaviridae / genetics
  • Papillomaviridae / isolation & purification*
  • Papillomavirus Infections / complications*
  • Papillomavirus Infections / virology*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Prevalence
  • United States / epidemiology
  • Viral Structural Proteins / genetics
  • Vulvar Neoplasms / virology*

Substances

  • DNA, Viral
  • Viral Structural Proteins