Human Papillomavirus in the region of La Ribera-Valencia: Present and future

INTRODUCTION: Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the main cause of cervical cancer. The etiology and effects derived from this infection are set by molecular techniques and cytological diagnosis, respectively. In the present study, data obtained by an opportunist screening of cervical cancer in La Ribera region are revised and related statistically. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data considering different variables such as age, degree of lesion, HPV type detected and number of virus in coinfection were collected from 1,372 HPV positive cytology samples. HPV detection was carried out by means of three molecular techniques and the degree of lesion was analyzed by cytological diagnosis (Bethesda). In order to determine the relationship between different selected variables, several statistical analyses were performed. RESULTS: Only degree of lesion variable showed a direct relationship with the rest of variables, increasing with aging process, viral oncogenicity, presence of at least one high-risk virus and with the fact of being mono-infected. The probability of presenting a higher-level degree of lesion multiplied by 28.4 when high-risk HPV was detected in mono-infection. CONCLUSIONS: HPV molecular detection is the most suitable technique to perform a cervix cancer primary screening for the management of women with negative cytological diagnose. The number of detected types is statistically related to the degree of lesion. The establishment of a properly regulated screening to identify HPV infection, and therefore, of cervical cancer risk, is essential.