RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the role of HPV 16 and 18 in adenocarcinoma in situ(ACIS) of the uterine cervix. METHODS: Seventeen cases of primary cervical adenocarcinoma in situ were analyzed for HPV DNA by polymerase chain reaction. HPV 16 and 18 DNA extracted from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded histologic tissue sections by polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: 35.3% and 23.5% of ACIS were positive for HPV 16 and HPV 18 DNA, respectively. From the normal tissue, 11.8% were positive for HPV 16. Human papillomavirus positive patients were younger than negative patients but statistically insignificant(mean age 42.1 vs 51.7 years). CONCLUSIONS: These results show that HPV type 16 and 18 were closely related to etiology of the ACIS of the uterine cervix.