Screening for molecular markers of cervical papillomavirus infection: overview of methods and their clinical implications.

Molecular diagnostic adjuncts could improve the specificity of cervical cancer screening. Since persistent infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) is found in virtually 100% of cervical cancer cases, testing for markers of HPV integration may have a role in identifying underlying high-grade lesions in patients with low-grade cytologic abnormalities. Several proteins associated with the cell cycle are known to be affected by HPV integration into the host's DNA. Immunocytochemical identification of these upregulated proteins can assist in the identification of small numbers of pre-neoplastic or neoplastic cells in routine cytologic sampling.