Arife Ebru Taşcı, Okan Aytekin, Hüseyin Altaş, Melih Emre Torun, Mert İshak Kaya, Mustafa Şahin, Y eşim Özkaya Uçar, Mehmet Ünsal, Fatih Kılıç, Hakan Raşit Y alçın, Ahmet Taner Turan
Journal of Comprehensive Surgery - 2025;3(4):68-71
Aims: To assess the prevalence of cervical human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and related cytologic or histopathologic abnormalities in patients with vulvar squamous cell carcinoma (VSCC), and to explore their association with HPV-related and HPV-independent tumor subtypes. Methods: This retrospective study included 41 surgically treated VSCC patients at Ankara Bilkent City Hospital (2019-2024). Clinical, cytologic, and pathologic data, including vulvar and cervical HPV status, were analyzed. Cervical HPV testing was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and cytology was classified according to the Bethesda system. Results: HPV-associated VSCC was identified in 17.1% of patients, and cervical HPV positivity in 7.1%. Among 34 cytology results, 32.4% showed abnormalities (ASCUS, ASC-H, or HSIL). Cervical biopsy revealed LSIL or HSIL in 6 patients and invasive carcinoma in 1. Preinvasive or invasive cervical lesions were more frequent in HPV-associated VSCC (57.1%) than in HPV-independent cases (28.6%), though not statistically significant (p=0.204). Conclusion: Cervical HPV infection and cytologic abnormalities were uncommon, likely reflecting the predominance of HPV-independent tumors in this older cohort. Nevertheless, abnormal cytology in a subset of patients supports comprehensive cervical assessment and risk-adapted surveillance, particularly in HPV-associated VSCC.
