Human papillomavirus, lichen sclerosus, and squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva: detection and prognostic significance.

Detection of HPV-DNA in squamous vulvar carcinoma, its prognostic significance, and investigation of the presence of lichen sclerosus near HPV-DNA-positive vulvar carcinomas were the objectives of this study. In 60 samples of squamous vulvar cancer, we looked for HPV-DNA by means of PCR. The same samples were examined for the presence of lichen sclerosus. The possible prognostic significance of the presence of HPV-DNA and lichen sclerosus was studied. Nineteen (32%) of the samples were HPV-DNA positive using PCR. Patients with an HPV-positive tumor had a better prognosis than those with an HPV-negative tumor (P = 0.03). Lichen sclerosus was found in 19 tumor samples, of which 7 had detectable HPV-DNA. Only a minority of vulvar cancers contain HPV-DNA. In contrast to previous statements, near some of these HPV-positive cancers, lichen sclerosus can be found.