An analysis of cervical cancers in Ugandan women has uncovered significant genomic differences between tumours caused by different strains of human papillomavirus (HPV), signifying HPV type may impact cervical cancer characteristics and prognosis.
The study represents the first comprehensive analysis of molecular characteristics of cervical cancers in an African population.
The researchers compared cervical cancer samples infected by different evolutionary related groups of HPV types, known as clades. They identified previously unknown differences in how HPV clades impact the human genome. HPV-16 and HPV-18, belonging to clades A9 and A7, respectively, are the most common causes of cervical cancer detected in at least 70 per cent of cases. Although both are considered high-risk, HPV-18 was associated with more clinically aggressive cancers.
HPV infection is a leading cause of cervical cancer and is the most common form of cancer-related mortality in sub-Saharan African women, with researchers predicting a 50 per cent increase in cervical cancer mortality by 2040.
Read original article at https://www.med.ubc.ca/news/hpv-strains-may-impact-cervical-cancer-prognosis/
