The significance of high-risk human papillomavirus detection in women aged ≥ 50 years with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance cytologic preparations

✍ Scribed by Rosario, Domingo ;Zahn, Christopher M. ;Bush, Anneke C. ;Kendall, Brian S.

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2007
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 80 KB
• Volume: 111
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0008-543X
• DOI: 10.1002/cncr.23118

✦ Synopsis

Background:

The use of high-risk human papillomavirus (hrhpv) testing in the triage of women with a cytologic diagnosis of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (asc-us) has gained widespread acceptance. to date, very little has been reported on the significance of the detection of hrhpv in elderly women.

Methods:

Results of hrhpv testing performed on women aged > or =50 years were examined for a 20-month period. reflex testing for hrhpv was performed on residual liquid-based cytology specimens from women who were diagnosed with asc-us by using the digene hybrid capture method. follow-up information on women who had hrhpv detected was obtained from subsequent pathology reports (cytology and surgical).

Results:

Hrhpv testing was performed on 762 specimens from women aged > or =50 years; virus was detected in 105 specimens (13.8%), and follow-up was available in 63 of those women (60%). follow-up results included negative tests in 32 women (50.8% of those with follow-up available), low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion in 26 women (41.3%), and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (hsil) in 5 women (7.9%). no glandular neoplasia or invasive carcinoma was identified. relative light units/cutoff (rlu/co) values ranged from 1 rlu/co to 1705 rlu/co; no significant associations were identified between rlu/co values and follow-up results.

Conclusions:

Although hrhpv was detected in a minority of samples, hsil was present in 7.9% of those with hrhpv. this confirms that the presence of hrhpv in women aged > or =50 years with asc-us specimens needs clinical follow-up. there were no significant differences in rlu/co values between women with positive versus negative follow-up to allow for further discrimination for follow-up.