Abstract

BACKGROUND
This study was performed to ascertain the usefulness of the human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA microchip test for the screening and management of women with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US).
METHODS
The subject group consisted of 534 patients, and all of whom were diagnosed as ASC-US according to a Papanicolaou smear, and they all underwent concomitant HPV DNA microchip test.
RESULTS
The occurrence rates of overall squamous lesions and high risk lesion (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 and grade 3, and invasive carcinoma) of the HPV-positive ASC-US patients were significantly higher than those of the HPV-negative ASC-US patients. High risk lesion was detected more frequently among the older patients and the patients with HPV 56, 33 or 70. On the follow-up HPV DNA microchip test, only 1 of 11 (9.1%) HPV type-switched women developed squamous lesion compared with 8 of 13 (61.6%) HPV type-persistent women who developed squamous lesion.
CONCLUSIONS
The HPV DNA microchip test is useful for the management of ASC-US patients. HPV-positive ASC-US patients should undergo a HPV DNA microchip test periodically. If the same genotype of HPV is persistent on the follow-up test, more increased surveillance is needed.

• Keywords: Human papillomavirus;DNA chip;Papanicolaou smear