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

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. 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). 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. 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.