An evaluation of the Qiagen HPV sign for the detection and genotyping of cervical lesions and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas

HPV genotyping is an important tool in the epidemiology and surveillance of HPV-associated cancers and for the risk-stratification of HPV infections. HPV sign Genotyping Test (QIAGEN) is a new pyrosequencing assay for the detection and genotyping of HPV. The sensitivity and comparative performance of HPV sign was determined using a sample panel derived from histologically confirmed cervical lesions (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2 or worse) and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas. Comparative analysis showed that 80% of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2+ and 81% of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas were HPV-positive by HPV sign compared to 100% of the cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2+ and 81% of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas by the digene HPV Genotyping RH Test (RH), and INNO-LiPA HPV Genotyping Extra assay, respectively. Fewer genotypes were detected overall by HPV sign than via the relevant comparator assays (10 vs 21 for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2+; 4 vs 9 for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas) and also fewer multiple infections (9 vs 28 for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2+; 0 vs 4 for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas). HPV sign results were more compatible with the comparator assay for the oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma samples (100%) than for the cervical samples (73%). These results suggest that HPV sign in its current form is suited to samples that harbour multiple infection.