Hormonal contraceptives, human papillomaviruses and cervical cancer; some observations from a colposcopy clinic

Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol. 1989 Aug;29(3 Pt 2):329-31. doi: 10.1111/j.1479-828x.1989.tb01756.x.

Abstract

Observations from a colposcopy clinic from 1982-1985 are presented and show that in women with histologically proven precancerous lesions, those using hormone contraception had a significantly higher infection rate with human papillomavirus (HPV). Hormone contraception was preferred by younger women. Because information relating to sexual behaviour was not available for analysis, the findings in this study need to be interpreted with caution. The association of HPV and cervical cancers is well established. If hormonal contraceptive use and simultaneous HPV infection are associated with cervical neoplasia, and laboratory evidence supports this thesis, then further urgent investigations are needed for the implications are grave.

PIP: Case records of 434 women, all those referred from Otago Province, New Zealand, to the culdoscopy clinic from 1982-1985, for abnormal cervical smears, were examined with respect to age, method of contraception, smoking and results correlated with incidence of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection. 71% of the women had CIN3 lesions (carcinoma in situ stage III) and of these 71 had HPV also. 63.3% of the users of hormone contraception (pills or injections) had both CIN3 and HPV, while 43.8% had only CIN3 (p0.004). There were no significant differences in proportion of women smokers. Although younger women tended to use hormonal contraception, there were no significant differences between the CIN3 + HPV and the CIN3 only groups with respect to age. Since even higher prevalence of HPV is found among women with precancerous lesions when the DNA probing method is used, it is vital that more thorough studies be done concerning the link between oral and other hormonal contraception and cervical neoplasms, especially considering the enhanced considering the enhanced role they currently play personally as well as globally.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal / adverse effects*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Papillomaviridae
  • Precancerous Conditions / epidemiology*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Tumor Virus Infections / complications
  • Tumor Virus Infections / epidemiology*
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / epidemiology*
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / etiology
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / microbiology
  • Vaginal Diseases / complications
  • Vaginal Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Vaginal Diseases / microbiology

Substances

  • Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal