ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Detection of human papillomavirus in large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the uterine cervix: a study of 12 cases

W Grayson¹, L F Taylor¹, U Allard¹, A J Tiltman¹ and H A Rhemtula²

¹ Department of Anatomical Pathology, School of Pathology, University of the Witwatersrand and the National Health Laboratory Service, PO Box 1038, Johannesburg 2000, South Africa
² Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of the Witwatersrand and the Chris Hani-Baragwanath Hospital, PO Box 2013, Johannesburg 2013, South Africa

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr W Grayson, Department of Anatomical Pathology, School of Pathology, NHLS, PO Box 1038, Johannesburg 2000, South Africa;
wayneg{at} mail.saimr.wits.ac.za

Aim: To investigate the role of human papillomavirus (HPV) in large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) of the uterine cervix.

Methods: Twelve archival, immunohistochemically and/or electron microscopically confirmed cases of cervical LCNEC were studied. Non-isotopic in situ hybridisation (NISH) was performed on the formalin fixed, paraffin wax embedded biopsies using digoxigenin labelled probes to HPV types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, and 33. The tumours were then subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis using GP5+/GP6+ consensus primers to the HPV L1 gene, in addition to type specific primers to the E6 and E6/E7 genes.

Results: HPV-16 was detected by NISH and/or PCR in seven of the 12 carcinomas. Two additional tumours were HPV-18 positive by NISH and/or PCR. HPV DNA was not detected in the three remaining cases.

Conclusion: Integration of high risk HPV, in particular type 16 and to a lesser extent type 18, is associated with this uncommon variant of cervical carcinoma.

Keywords: large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma; cervix; human papillomavirus

Abbreviations: CIN, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia; HPF, high power field; HPV, human papillomavirus; LCNEC, large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma; NISH, non-isotopic in situ hybridisation; PCR, polymerase chain reaction; TBT, Tris buffered saline

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