RESUMO
BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to use an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (CDKN2A; also known as p16(INK4a)) in exfoliative cervical cells. CDKN2A is upregulated and considered as a surrogate marker for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and cancer. METHODS: Liquid-based ThinPrep((R)) cytologic test (TCT) and ELISA were performed on 1356 specimens collected prior to biopsy. A cotton swab was used to gather exfoliative cells. A sandwich ELISA was performed to measure the amount of solublized CDKN2A protein. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity of the TCT for screening of cervical dysplasia and cancer were 82.93% and 88.11%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity for measuring CDKN2A with ELISA to detect significant cervical disease were 87.80% and 92.43%, respectively. CDKN2A expression was correlated with the severity of cervical damage (r = 0.774; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The sensitivity and specificity of detecting CDKN2A expression with ELISA in exfoliative cervical cells was superior to TCT (p = 0.023 and p < 0.001, respectively). These results suggest that detecting CDKN2A with ELISA has the potential to become a new screening method for cervical cancer.