Invasive Cervical Cancers from Women Living in the United States or Botswana: Differences in Human Papillomavirus Type Distribution

Background: Cervical cancer is the primary cause of cancer-related deaths in women living in Botswana.

Methods: Paraffin-embedded blocks of formalin-fixed invasive cervical cancer specimens were identified from women living in the U.S. (n = 50) or Botswana (n = 171) from which DNA was extracted. Thin-section PCR was performed on each sample for HPV types and HIV. Comparisons were made between HPV types and groups of types identified in cancers.

Results: HPV DNA was identified in 92.0% of specimens from the U.S. containing amplifiable human DNA, and 79.5% of specimens from Botswana. HPV 16 was detected in 40 of 46 HPV-positive specimens (87.0%) from the U.S. vs. 58 of 136 (42.7%) from Botswana (p < 0.001). In contrast, non-HPV 16/18 types, all A9 species (HPV16, 31, 33, 35, 52, and 58), non-HPV 16 A9 (HPV 31, 33, 35, 52, and 58), HPV 18, all A7 types (18, 39, 45, 59, and 68) types were detected significantly more often in specimens from Botswana. The prevalence of non-HPV 18 A7 types did not differ significantly between the two groups. For specimens from Botswana, 31.6% contained PCR-amplifiable HIV sequences, compared to 3.9% in U.S. specimens. Stratifying the samples from Botswana by HIV status, HPV 31 was detected significantly more often in HIV-positive specimens. Other HPV types and groups of types were not significantly different between HIV-positive and HIV-negative specimens from Botswana.

Conclusion: This study demonstrates that there may be important HPV type differences in invasive cervical cancers occurring in women living in the United States or Botswana. Factors in addition to HIV may be driving these differences.