Occurrence of human papillomavirus type 16 DNA sequences and c-myc oncogene alterations in uterine-cervix carcinoma.

Using genetic engineering and molecular biology techniques, we have examined sixteen human carcinomas in the uterine-cervix tumors (the most frequent tumor in México, representing 34% of malignant tumors in women), for the presence of Human Papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) DNA sequences and possible alterations of the cellular myc (c-myc) proto-oncogene. In this study we have analyzed cervical carcinomas from patient with clinical stage II. We detected in 31% of these samples, the presence of HPV-16 sequences (2-100 copies). In addition, an elevated amplification (up to 80-fold in one tumor) and/or rearrangement of the c-myc oncogene was detected in most tumors (more than 90% of the samples). These results suggest that either c-myc oncogene and/or HPV-16 could play an important role in the development of uterine-cervix carcinoma.