Exploratory study of histopathological characteristics of cervical cancer in an African (Tanzania) population.

e16530 Background: In Tanzania, cervical cancer is the leading cause of death after breast cancer, with the majority of tumors diagnosed at a very advanced stage. Little information is available on the characteristics of cervical cancer in Sub-Saharan African women. We aimed to evaluate histopathological features of cervical cancers and relative margins in a group of African women and to characterize HPV infection. Methods: Tissue samples from32 Tanzanian women with invasive cervical cancer were evaluated in the Biosciences Laboratory of our Institute (IRCCS IRST, Meldola, Italy) as part of a global cancer control project currently ongoing in close cooperation with the Bugando Medical Center of Mwanza, Tanzania. Results: 24/32 (75%) women had squamous carcinoma and 4/32 (12.5%) had adenocarcinoma of the cervix. The HPV test was performed in the entire series but DNA amplification by pyrosequencing was only possible in 27/32 (84.4%). The presence of HPV infection was confirmed in 26/27 (96.3%) cases in bot...