High-risk Papillomavirus Testing in Young Japanese Women with Atypical Squamous Cells of Undetermined Significance.

INTRODUCTION

The mortality due to uterine cervical cancer has been gradually increasing in women under 40 years of age (U40) in Japan. We investigated the effect of high-risk papillomavirus (HR-HPV) on U40 subjects without any overt cytological abnormalities.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively examined the clinical data, including the findings of a cobas 4800 HPV test that was approved in Japan in 2013 to triage women with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) and a histological examination in 589 Japanese women.

RESULTS

The overall prevalence rate of HR-HPV was 34.5%. Biopsy-confirmed cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2, or worse (CIN2+) was identified in 45.1% (23/51) of HR-HPV-positive women with ASC-US, who underwent colposcopy immediately. The mean period from the HPV test to the diagnosis of CIN2+ was 3.7 months. CIN2+ was more common (69.6%) in U40 patients. The rates of single or multiple infections of HPV-16, HPV-18, and 12 other HR-HPV (31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 66, and 68) in CIN2+ U40 patients were 31.3%, 0%, and 81.3%, respectively. The relative risk for CIN 2+ among U40 women with HPV-16 was not significantly different from that of the patients with infection of any of the 12 other HR-HPVs.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study suggest that the 12 other HR-HPVs have a potential to generate high-grade cervical lesions among young women, and the examination rate of colposcopy should be increased.