Screening for Molecular Markers of Cervical Papillomavirus Infection: Overview of Methods and Their Clinical Implications

Molecular diagnostic adjuncts could improve the specificity of cervical cancer screening. Since persistent infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) is found in virtually 100% of cervical cancer cases, testing for markers of HPV integration may have a role in identifying underlying high-grade lesions in patients with low-grade cytologic abnormalities. Several proteins associated with the cell cycle are known to be affected by HPV integration into the host's DNA. Immunocytochemical identification of these upregu-lated proteins can assist in the identification of small numbers of pre-neoplastic or neoplastic cells in routine cytologic sampling.