Detection of human papilloma virus DNA in lymph nodes extirpated at radical surgery for cervical cancer is not predictive of recurrence.

In women with recurrent cervical cancer after radical surgery, lymph node metastasis is detectable histologically at the time of surgery in only about 50% of cases. The present study was designed to determine whether the detection of human papilloma virus (HPV) DNA in lymph nodes extirpated at operation, as an indication of micrometastasis, is predictive of recurrence. Using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), a total of 140 lymph nodes from 31 patients with HPV 16 DNA positive primary cervical tumours were tested for the presence of an HPV 16 LCR/E6 gene fragment. HPV 16 DNA was detected in extirpated lymph nodes in 75% (6/8) of patients with recurrence (and who died within 5 years after surgery) and in 70% (16/23) of recurrence-free patients. In only four of the patients with recurrence (three of whom had HPV 16 DNA positive lymph nodes) was metastasis detectable histologically at surgery. HPV DNA positive lymph nodes were found in 91% (10/11) of patients with histologically detectable metastasis at surgery and in 60% (12/20) of patients without metastasis. It is concluded that the presence of HPV DNA in extirpated lymph nodes at cervical cancer operation does not appear to be predictive of tumour recurrence.