HIGH‐RISK HPV testing as the primary screening method in an organized regional screening program for cervical cancer: the value of HPV16 and HPV18 genotyping?

Since 2012, testing high‐risk (HR)HPV has been used as the primary screening test for women ≥35 years attending the organized cervical cancer screening program in the city of Tampere. We evaluated the contribution of HPV16/18 genotyping. Data from 2012 and 2013, and the follow‐up samples in 2013 and 2014, respectively, were analyzed. Abbott RealTime High‐Risk HPV test detecting 14 HRHPV genotypes combined with concurrent genotyping for HPV16 and HPV18 was used. HPV was positive in 794 samples out of 11 346 HPV tested women (7%). HPV16/18 was represented in 22% of HPV‐positive cases. Negative cervical cytology (NILM) was reported in 51% of HPV‐positive samples. HPV16/18 genotype was accompanied with 50% of HSIL/ASC‐H cases. The predominance of HPV16/18 in higher grade lesions was even more evident in cervical biopsies as 57% of CIN3 cases were associated with HPV16/18, and only 20% of carcinomas were associated with nonspecified high‐risk (NSHR) genotypes. In agreement with previous studies HPV16/18 genotypes caused higher grade cytological and histological changes/pathologies than NSHR genotypes in primary screening. Nevertheless, the majority of HRHPV genotypes detected in the screened population were nonHPV16/18, and especially within persistent infections, precancerous lesions were found also among women with NSHR genotypes.