Quantitative human papillomavirus type 16 viral load and prognosis of cervical cancer treatment efficiency

The quantitative load, physical status of human papillomavirus (HPV) 16 and viral oncogene E7 expression were examined by real time polymerase chain reaction in endoservical scrapings and biopsy material taken in 64 patients with histologically verified primary HPV 16-positive cervical cancer of stages I-IV prior to treatment. It was shown that in patients with integrated HPV DNA, the higher the degree of integration of the virus, the lower the quantitative load and the higher expression of the viral oncogene E7 and worse prognosis of cervical cancer. No correlation between viral load and expression of E7 (R = -0.36, p = 0.34, n = 9) or the survival of patients was observed in the group with episomal HPV DNA. It is expected that the viral load in tumors with integrated HPV 16 DNA may indirectly reflect the prognosis of the disease severity.