N Engl J Med. 2003 Feb 6;348(6):518-27.
Epidemiologic classification of human papillomavirus types associated with cervical cancer.
Mu?z N, Bosch FX, de Sanjos?S, Herrero R, Castellsagu? X, Shah KV, Snijders PJ, Meijer CJ; International Agency for Research on Cancer Multicenter Cervical Cancer Study Group.
International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyons, France. cris@ico.scs.es
Background:
Infection with human papilloma virus (HPV) is the main cause of cervical cancer, but the risk associated with the various HPV types has not been adequately assessed.
Methods:
We pooled data from 11 case-control studies from nine countries involving 1918 women with histologically confirmed squamous-cell cervical cancer and 1928 control women. A common protocol and questionnaire were used. Information on risk factors was obtained by personal interviews, and cervical cells were collected for detection of HPV DNA and typing in a central laboratory by polymerase-chain-reaction-based assays (with MY09/MY11 and GP5+/6+ primers).
Results:
HPV DNA was detected in 1739 of the 1918 patients with cervical cancer (90.7 percent) and in 259 of the 1928 control women (13.4 percent). With the GP5+/6+ primer, HPV DNA was detected in 96.6 percent of the patients and 15.6 percent of the controls. The most common HPV types in patients, in descending order of Frequency, were types 16, 18, 45, 31, 33, 52, 58, and 35. Among control women, types 16, 18, 45, 31, 6, 58, 35, and 33 were the most common. For studies using the GP5+/6+ primer, the pooled odds ratio for cervical cancer associated with the presence of any HPV was 158.2 (95 percent confidence interval, 113.4 to 220.6). The odds ratios were over 45 for the most common and least common HPV types. Fifteen HPV types were classified as high-risk types (16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 68, 73, and 82); 3 were classified as probable high-risk types (26, 53, and 66); and 12 were classified as low-risk types (6, 11, 40, 42, 43, 44, 54, 61, 70, 72, 81, and CP6108). There was good agreement between our epidemiologic classification and the classification based on phylogenetic grouping.
Conclusions:
In addition to HPV types 16 and 18, types 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 68, 73, and 82 should be considered carcinogenic, or high-risk, types, and types 26, 53, and 66 should be considered probably carcinogenic.
Please click on the required question.
- 1 What is cancer (malignancy)
- 2 What is meant by cancer staging?
- 3 How prevalent is cancer?
- 4 How prevalent are womens' cancers?
- 5 What causes cancer?
- 6 Is cancer a hereditary condition?
- 7 How can gynaecological cancer present?
- 8 How can we reduce the risks of the womens' cancers?
Reducing the Risks of Womens' Cancers.
- 9 What are screening tests?
- 10 What are the reactions to a diagnosis of cancer?
- 11 Is there a place for counselling when cancer is diagnosed?
- 12 Can personality alter the prognosis?
- 13 Is the incidence of deaths from the female cancers changing?
- 14 Is there a place for a holistic approach to cancer?
Cancer of the Cervix.
- 15 How prevalent is cervical cancer?
- 16 What causes cervical cancer?
- 17 How long an interval should there be between cervical screening (smear) (PAP) tests?
- 18 Is there any evidence that cervical screening can reduce the incidence of cervical cancer?
- 19 Will pre-malignant changes of the cervix invariably lead to cancer?
Endometrial Cancer (Uterus)
- 20 What causes endometrial cancer?
- 21 Are there screening tests for endometrial cancer?
- 22 How does endometrial cancer present?
Cancer of the Ovary.
- 23 How does ovarian cancer present?
- 24 How prevalent is ovarian cancer?
- 25 What are tumour markers?
- 26 Can we screen for ovarian cancer?
- 27 What is the relationship between infertility and ovarian cancer?
- 28 Can treatment of infertility increase the risk of ovarian cancer?
- 29 What is the relationship between oral contraception and cancer?
- 30 Can ovarian cancer be prevented?
- 31 I use talcum power. Could this increase my risk of developing ovarian cancer?
The Treatment Of Womens' Cancers
- 14 Is there a place for a holistic approach to cancer?
- 32 Can we predict the course of a cancer?
- 33 What treatment options are available for gynaecological cancer?
- Q32.33c What treatment options are available for ovarian cancer?
Cancer of the Vulva, Vagina and Fallopian Tube
- 34 How prevalent are malignant conditions of the vulva, vagina and Fallopian tubes?
Breast Cancer
- 35 What is the incidence of breast cancer?
- 35 ?What is the cause of breast cancer?
- 35a What are the advantages of breast cancer screening - mammography - mammograms?
- 36 How often should breast screening be carried out?
- 37 Are there any problems having a mammogram?
- 38 Should I check myself for breast lumps?
- 39 One of my family developed cancer of the breast. Am I at increased risk?
- 40 We have a family tendency towards developing breast / ovarian cancer. Are there any genetic tests to find out if I am at increased risk?
- 41 What happens if a mammogram shows an abnormality?
- 42 What are the advantages and disadvantages of tamoxifen in the management of breast cancer?
- 42a Breast Cancer Treatment - What is available?
- 43 What is the relationship between breast cancer and the pill?
Web sites and Support Groups
- 44 Are there any support groups?
- 44 Are there any support groups?
- 45 Support Groups.
- 46 Breast Cancer Support Groups
- 47 Ovarian Cancer Support Groups
- 48 Endometrial Cancer Support Groups
- 49 Cervical Cancer Support Groups
Thank you for choosing to visit us.
This is the personal website of David A Viniker MD FRCOG, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Whipps Cross University Hospital, London - Specialist Interests - Reproductive Medicine including Infertility, PCOS, PMS, Menopause and HRT.
I do hope that you find the answers to your women's health questions in the patient information and medical advice provided.



