The presence of certain high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) types predicts future risk for high-grade cervical cancer even among women with no cellular indications of cancer at baseline, according to a study published online Dec. 10 in Cancer.

Maria Fröberg, M.D., Ph.D., from the Karolinska University Hospital and Institute in Stockholm, and colleagues evaluated the impact of baseline HPV status on the future risk for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) grade 2 or worse (CIN2+) among women with cytology negative for intraepithelial lesions or malignancy. Ninety-six cases of CIN2+ and 480 age-matched controls who screened between 2005 and 2007 were identified through the National Cervical Screening Registry and were followed through 2014.

The researchers found that baseline HPV status was strongly associated with the risk for future high-grade CIN. Future risk for CIN2+ was significantly worse for women <30 years with HPV-16/18 (odds ratio, 9.44). In these younger women, other HPV types were not significantly associated with future CIN2+. However, both HPV-16/18 and other HPV subtypes posed a significant risk among women ≥30 years old.

"These findings can help in the ongoing development of guidelines for cervical cancer screening," a coauthor said in a statement. "They strongly indicate that testing for HPV needs to be incorporated into screening programs."

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