An etiological relation between HPV infection and the development of dysplastic and neoplastic changes in the uterine cervix has been documented by many investigators all over the world who used new methods for detecting viral DNA in biological examinations. Lack of Polish studies prompted us to undertake similar investigations. We studied 33 cases including 6 severe dysplasias, 5 carcinomas in situ and 22 invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix. In situ hybridization with the use Digene Tissue Hybridization Kit and Omni Probe Set revealed viral HPV DNA in 24 cases including 4 severe dysplasias, 3 in situ carcinomas and 17 invasive carcinomas. All positive cases were analysed with respect to the risk level (types 6,11,42,43,44). They showed the presence of DNA of high risk viruses in all cases and in one case DNA of low risk viruses. A total of 72,2% patients with severe dysplasia and squamous cell cervical carcinoma showed the presence of HPV DNA. The present findings confirm the great role of high risk HPV infection for cervical cancer development in the investigated group of Polish women.

Keywords: HPV virus, cervical dysplasia and cancer, In Situ Hybridization