[Human papilloma virus (HPV) infection in the pathology of the endometrium. Role of immunological activation in antiviral and antineoplastic defense].

Endometrial cancer is one of the most prevalent neoplastic diseases in women, in the developed countries. In spite of hormonal dysfunction, no pivotal mechanism leading to this pathology is known. The study design was to evaluate the presence of human papilloma virus within the endometrium by in situ hybridization and its potential role in the occurrence of dysplastic and neoplastic endometrial lesions. Immunological antiviral and antitumour defense was investigated by cytometric measurement of selected lymphocyte subsets. Viral infection was present in nearly 25% of endometrial cancer patients and occasionally within endometrial hyperplasia with cellular atypia. The presence of human papilloma virus correlated with significant depletion of CD4 lymphocytes as well as activated T cells and NK.