[Detection of human papilloma virus DNA in tissue sections of cervical carcinoma by in situ hybridization with digoxigenin labelled DNA probes].

Formalin fixed, paraffin embedded tissues from 48 cases of squamous carcinoma of the cervix were examined for the presence of human papilloma virus (HPV) DNA by in situ hybridization using digoxigenin labelled HPV 6, 11, 16 and 18 DNA probes respectively. HPV DNA was found in 23 of the tumors (47.92%). HPV 16 DNA in 21 tumors (43.75%), HPV 18 DNA in four tumors (8.33%), no tumors hybridized to either HPV 6 DNA or HPV 11 DNA. HPV DNA was mainly observed in the nuclei of koilocytic cells and carcinoma cells, partly in the cytoplasm of carcinoma cells. These results show that the presence and typing of HPV in the cervix uteri may be studied by in situ hybridization and confirm the close association between cervical cancer and HPV (especially HPV 16 and 18) infection.