Exploring the Clinical Signatures of Cervical Dysplasia Patients and Their Association With Vaginal Microbiota.

AIMS

The vaginal microbiota plays a crucial role in women's health, and an imbalanced vaginal microbiota is linked to various diseases, including human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. However, most available data comes from Western countries and primarily focuses on HPV infection, with only a few studies considering detailed clinical factors to explore the relationship between vaginal microbiota and the development of cervical cancer, especially in China.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Our study involved 266 women, including individuals at all stages of cervical dysplasia, and healthy controls with and without HPV infection. We assessed several aspects of the vaginal environment, including vaginal microbiota composition using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, HPV infection status using the standard Roche Cobas method, pH value, age, and HO levels from clinical records, and partner numbers and contraceptive methods obtained through questionnaires. The association of these clinical signatures with cervical dysplasia stages and vaginal microbiota was analyzed.

KEY FINDINGS

Our findings demonstrate a significant association between vaginal microbiota and cervical dysplasia stages. Patients with cervical dysplasia and cancer showed a substantial increase in HPV 16 infection, a higher prevalence of pH > 5, a lower HO level, and older ages compared to healthy individuals. Additionally, these factors influence the beta diversity of the vaginal microbiota.

SIGNIFICANCE

These results underscore the importance of considering the vaginal microbiota within the cancer microenvironment and highlight the need to integrate all available data to aid in the current diagnosis and understanding of cervical dysplasia and the cervical cancer microenvironment.