Adenocarcinoma of the cervix and adenocarcinoma of the endometrium: distinction with PCR-mediated detection of HPV DNA.

The differential diagnosis between primary endocervical adenocarcinoma and adenocarcinoma originating in the endometrium may in some cases be difficult. The two cancer types have a different genesis, with human papillomavirus (HPV) as an important causal factor in the development of primary cervical carcinoma. In this study, the paraffin-embedded cervical tissues from 23 patients with stage II endometrial carcinoma and from 50 patients with primary cervical adenocarcinoma were examined for HPV DNA of types 16, 18, and 33. HPV DNA was demonstrated in 70% of the primary endocervical adenocarcinomas and in none of the endometrial carcinomas. It is concluded that HPV detection may be useful in the differential diagnosis of some cases of cervical and endometrial adenocarcinoma.