Question

Which of the following agents is most commonly associated with carcinoma cervix?

• A. HPV 16
• B. HPV 18
• C. HPV 33
• D. HPV 35

Hint:

HPV 16 and 18 cause most cases, and 16 is the single most common.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Recall the cause of cervical cancer. Persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) types is the central cause of nearly all cervical cancers.
Step 2: Rank the high-risk types. HPV 16 and HPV 18 together account for about 70 percent of cervical cancers. Of these two, HPV 16 is the single most common type, responsible for roughly 50 to 55 percent of cases worldwide.
Step 3: The viral oncoproteins E6 and E7 drive cancer. E6 degrades the p53 tumor suppressor and E7 inactivates the retinoblastoma (Rb) protein, removing the brakes on the cell cycle and allowing malignant transformation.
Step 4: Compare options. HPV 18 (option B) is the second most common and is linked more with adenocarcinoma, but it is less common overall than HPV 16. HPV 33 and HPV 35 (options C and D) are high-risk types but far less frequent. Therefore the single most commonly associated agent is HPV 16. The answer is option A.