Morphometric evidence of a relation between human papilloma virus infection and cervical intraepithelial neoplasm
Abstract
We report a quantitative method applied to histological sections to ascertain the disturbances of cellular and nuclear maturation in cervical squamous epithelium. Using this method, we could postulate which changes can be attributed to carcinogenesis, and which to infection with Human Papilloma Virus. In the context of the problem distinguishing these two entities in a diagnostic setting, and because there are indications that Human Papilloma Virus is involved in cervical carcinogenesis, our observations might be of importance for both pathologists and epidemiologists. Our findings indicate that there is a morphological continuum ranging from purely viral induced changes to morphological features of neoplasia, and that during these events the viral related changes are suppressed.