Cervical cancer risk profiling: molecular biomarkers predicting the outcome of hrHPV infection.

Cervical cancer risk profiling: molecular biomarkers predicting the outcome of hrHPV infection. Expert Rev Mol Diagn. 2020 Oct 12;: Authors: Molina MA, Carosi Diatricch L, Castany Quintana M, Melchers WJ, Andralojc KM Abstract INTRODUCTION: Cervical cancer affects half a million women worldwide annually. Given the association between high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) infection and carcinogenesis, hrHPV DNA testing became an essential diagnostic tool. However, hrHPV alone does not cause the disease, and, most importantly, many cervical lesions regress to normal in a year because of the host immune system. Hence, the low specificity of hrHPV DNA tests and their inability to predict the outcome of infections have triggered a further search for biomarkers. AREAS COVERED: We evaluated the latest viral and cellular biomarkers validated for clinical use as primary screening or triage for cervical cancer and assessed their promise for prevention as well as potential use in the future. The literature search focused on effective biomarkers for different stages of the disease, aiming to determine their significance in predicting the outcome of hrHPV infections. EXPERT OPINION: Biomarkers such as p16/Ki-67, hrHPV genotyping, hrHPV transcriptional status, and methylation patterns have demonstrated promising results. Their eventual implementation in the screening programs may support the prompt diagnosis of hrHPV infection and...
Source: Expert Review of Molecular Diagnostics - Category: Laboratory Medicine Tags: Expert Rev Mol Diagn Source Type: research