Gynaecology Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Gynaecology, including details on pap smears, laparoscopy, ultrasound, hysteroscopy.

Human papillomavirus infection and primary fallopian tube carcinoma: a seroepidemiological study.

Riska A, Finne P, Koskela P, Alfthan H, Jalkanen J, Lehtinen M, Sorvari T, Stenman UH, Paavonen J, Leminen A

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. annika.riska@pp.inet.fi

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31 or 33 infection in primary fallopian tube carcinoma (PFTC). DESIGN: A retrospective case-control study. SETTING: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Helsinki University Hospital, Finland. POPULATION: Seventy-eight consecutive women with PFTC diagnosed between 1985 and 2000 were studied. For each case, two healthy controls were selected. METHODS: Serum immunoglobulin G antibodies to HPV types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31 and 33 were measured from women with PFTC and their healthy controls. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Analysis of HPV 6, 11, 18, 31 and 33 seropositivity among women with PFTC and controls. RESULTS: Seropositivity rates of non-oncogenic or oncogenic HPV types did not differ between cases and controls, odds ratios being 1.04-1.30 for oncogenic HPVs and 1.08-1.19 for non-oncogenic HPVs, similarly. We did not find any multiplicative joint effect in PFTC by antibodies to more than one oncogenic HPV type; neither did we find any antagonistic effect among women with antibodies to non-oncogenic and oncogenic HPV types. CONCLUSIONS: Our results do not suggest any link between PFTC and serological evidence for HPV infection.

Published 23 March 2007 in BJOG, 114(4): 425-9.
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