The Distribution of Oncogenic HPV Types Between CIN 2 and 3: A Retrospective Study

Objective: Cervical cancer is a major public health problem worldwide. The most important risk factor is persistent infection with oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) types. The distribution of HPV genotypes varies geographically. There are differences in HPV types depending on the degree of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). This study aimed to compare patients diagnosed with CIN 2 or 3 by colposcopic biopsy about the high-risk HPV types they carry. Material and Methods: Between January 2013 and September 2024, 229 patients diagnosed with CIN 2 or 3 and attending the gynecological oncology outpatient clinic of the university hospital were included in the study. The distribution of high-risk HPV types according to age and pathological diagnosis was investigated. Results: HPV 16 positivity was significantly higher in patients diagnosed with CIN 3 than CIN 2 (p=0.003). The prevalence of HPV 16 and 39 was significantly higher in patients aged 40 and older compared to those under 40 (p=0.003, p=0.018, respectively). Conclusion: In conclusion, HPV 16 positivity was significantly higher in patients diagnosed with CIN 3 than with CIN 2 (p=0.003). The most common HPV types in patients with CIN 2/3 in this study were 16, 18, 31, 35, 39, and 51 (the last three were equally frequent). In addition, more than half of the patients diagnosed with CIN 2/3 are positive for high-risk HPV types other than HPV 16-18.